It’s More Bad News For KLM’s A350

KLM’s newest aircraft, the Airbus A350, has been delayed again, with its debut now set for late October.

The airline will debut the A350-900 between Amsterdam (AMS) and Toronto Pearson (YYZ) on 23 October 2026, pushed back from the previously outlined 9 October 2026.

Furthermore, the latest delay flagged by schedule updates on Aeroroutes is not the first time the airline has had to push back the aircraft’s debut, which has been plagued by certification and supply chain problems.

The latest schedule shows KLM will fly the Airbus A350-900 on a five-day return schedule as KL691 and KL692, replacing the A330-300 on the city pair and offering customers the newest available product.

While Aeroroutes flags the deployment of the A350 to Toronto from 23 October, it also states that the November timetable still retains A330 operations across the KL695/696 service.

Toronto Sees A350 Launch Delayed Again

KLM initially planned to introduce the Airbus A350 well before the end of October; however, it has repeatedly pushed a late-September launch to 9 October and now to 23 October.

KL691 is scheduled to depart Amsterdam at 1330, arriving in Toronto at 1540. The return flight KL692, acting as the eastbound leg, departs Toronto at 1755 for a next-day arrival at Schiphol at 0750.

The schedule also sees the Boeing 787-10 operating KL691 on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with the second Amsterdam–Toronto frequency using the A330-300, keeping the type in service for now alongside the new next-generation aircraft.

Toronto will therefore receive a mixed fleet from the Netherlands-based carrier but will be the first to welcome the new next-generation Airbus A350, aimed at improving passenger satisfaction.

The A350 Causes Pains For KLM

KLM’s investment in the Airbus A350 is significant, with the business betting on the type to help replace some of its oldest Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s; however, its introduction has been anything but smooth.

While KLM has grappled with pushback over the launch on Toronto Pearson flights, the airline has also battled heavier delays in the acquisition, which it has been vocal about for years and which have impacted fleet renewal.

Delays began last year when the airline confirmed the type would not meet original expectations and would instead be handed over in mid-2026; by 2026, that also became impossible. The forecast was pushed back to Q3 2026, but now a Q4 2026 debut is the most likely.

Unfortunately for KLM, the A350 deployment has been largely out of its control, and the frustrations are taking their toll on the operation, with the inability to source parts and the certification of business-class seats having greater ramifications for the handover and launch of the type.

The frustrations with the passenger A350-900 have been clear; however, CEO Marjan Rintel has not held back on the broader family and her commitment to the A350F for future freight flying at Martinair. Rintel said at the IATA AGM that the freighter has now slipped by more than 18 months and still has uncertainties, flagging a 2027 timeline as ambitious.

For an investment as significant as the Airbus A350 programme at KLM, these challenges in acquiring the type have been a problem amid increased volatility that has pushed the airline to move faster toward newer, more efficient aircraft types.

KLM is now targeting a late-October debut; however, after repeated pushbacks on this date, the airline will be more cautious than ever in locking down a firm timeframe, with more than a month remaining before passenger flights begin and the possibility of further delay.