Today, the Air France KLM Group ordered 100 Airbus A320neo Family Aircraft for KLM and Transavia, with options for 60 additional aircraft. The company also signed a Letter of Intent for the acquisition of four Airbus A350F freighters for Air France, with four options.
On Thursday (December 16, 2021), the Air France KLM Group announced an order for 100 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft for KLM, Transavia France and Transavia Netherlands, along with acquisition rights for 60 additional aircraft. The first deliveries are expected during the second half of 2023, and the aircraft will provide medium-haul connections in Europe, particularly from KLM’s and Transavia Netherlands’ Amsterdam-Schiphol hub, and Transavia’s main base at Paris-Orly. Additionally, the Group has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) for the acquisition of four Airbus A350F freighters for Air France, with four additional acquisition rights. The final order will also include conversion rights, making it possible for Air France to order A350 aircraft in passenger configuration if desired. Air France currently operates 12 long-haul Airbus A350s out of 38 ordered.
In Thursday’s announcement, Air France-KLM Group’s CEO, Benjamin Smith, said,
“These scalable orders will position the Group's airlines on the path to improving their performance, while accelerating our decarbonization trajectory. This is a major step for KLM, for Transavia and for Air France, which will use the best aircraft available to meet their needs. The outstanding performance of the Airbus A320neo Family and the A350 Cargo, which are quieter, more fuel efficient and have lower head office costs, make them the best choice for the long-term growth of our fleet. They will play a key role in achieving our ambitious goals, including achieving zero net CO 2 emissions by 2050.”
As of December 15, 2021, the Air France KLM Group had an operating fleet of 502 aircraft, providing service to over 300 destinations worldwide.
Commenting on the order in a separate announcement today, KLM’s CEO, Pieter Elbers, said,
“This order for fleet renewal is an important new step for KLM in achieving our objectives in terms of sustainability, customer experience, comfort and efficiency. These new aircraft will allow us to substantially reduce CO2 emissions and noise levels. I’m glad that, by continually investing in our product, we can improve our efficiency and customer experience. The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to focus on survival for the past eighteen months. Now that we are on the road to recovery, we can look to the future once more. With this order, which is an important component of our restructuring plan, we will further prepare our company as well as our customer experience for the future.”
From late 2023, the new Airbus A320neo/A321neos will begin replacing KLM and Transavia’s existing Boeing 737 NGs on European routes. The new aircraft will improve the sustainability of KLM’s fleet by delivering a 15 percent reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, as well as a 50 percent smaller noise footprint compared to current and older generation aircraft. Further details, such as engine choices and cabin configuration will be announced at a later date.
Source(s): Air France-KLM Group, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines