Skift Travel News Blog

Air France-KLM will add up to 90 new long-range Airbus A350 aircraft to its fleet in the coming years, under an order unveiled Monday.

The aircraft, which include 50 firm A350-900s and -1000s plus 40 purchase rights, are worth roughly $16.2 billion, based on Cirium Ascend’s full-life base values. Deliveries will begin in 2026 and run through at least 2030.

The deal still requires approval of the Air France-KLM board.

“It is the perfect fit for the network needs of the group and boasts outstanding performances: it is a quieter, more fuel efficient and more cost-effective aircraft compared to previous generations,” Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith said in a statement.

Air France-KLM was reportedly considering both the Airbus A350 as well as the Boeing 777X and 787 for the order. The planes will replace older Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s in the group’s fleet.

The Air Current reported earlier in September that, due to range considerations owing to the closure of Russian airspace to European airlines for flights to Asia, Air France-KLM was leaning towards the A350 for the order.

The deal is the latest win for Airbus from Air France-KLM. In December 2021, the group ordered at least 100 A320neo family aircraft for its KLM and Transavia brands. The planes will replace older Boeing 737s at both airlines. And earlier that year Air France-KLM was a launch customer for the new A350 freighter.

Air France already operates 22 A350-900s and has firm orders for 19 more aircraft. With the latest deal, Air France-KLM will eventually operate at least 99 A350s, which will make it one of the largest operators of the plane globally.

Aerospace designer and manufacturer Airbus has shared what they feel will be the next generation of passenger experience, with their sustainability and tech-driven Airspace Cabin Vision 2035+.

Environmental impact is a central focus, along with consumer comfort, in their product vision. Airbus will integrate “smart systems design” to optimize energy consumption and resources, while also using lightweight materials “enhanced by bionic principals and 3D-printing technologies,” as the company aims to focus on less carbon-intensive solutions in their manufacturing in the future.

Airbus states these innovations will contribute to the industry targets of Net-Zero by 2050.

At the Skift IDEA Awards, we are looking for the projects that are defining the future of guest experience, including aviation, hospitality, and tourism innovations.

If you have an exciting project to share, head to the Skift IDEA Awards today and start your submission. The final deadline for entries is June 20, 2023.

Air India, the erstwhile Indian state carrier which had been bought by the Tata Group in a $2.4 billion deal earlier this year, announced on Monday that it would look to progressively induct 30 new aircraft from December onwards, over the next 15 months.

With the succesful induction of the 25 narrow-body and five wide-body aircraft, the airline plans to increase its fleet size to 143 by the end of 2023. The airline currently has 70 narrow-body aircraft and 43 wide-bodied planes.

The airline will be leasing 21 Airbus A320neos, four A321neos and five Boeing 777-200LRs, in a bid to expand its fleet and global footprint.

Moving away from its earlier business model, Air India also plans to introduce premium economy seats in the 777-200LRs, similar to its sister airline Vistara, which is a joint venture of Tatas and Singapore Airlines, wherein Tata Sons holds a 51 percent stake.

The Boeing aircraft will join the fleet between December 2022 and March 2023, and would be deployed on routes connecting Indian metropolitan cities to the U.S., the airline said in a press statement.

The airline will be launching a direct flight connecting Mumbai to San Francisco and will also connect Mumbai to JFK and Newark, while Bengluru would receive a three times weekly service to San Francisco. 

The four A321neo aircraft are expected to join the Air India fleet in the first quarter of 2023, while the 21 A320neo planes will be inducted in the second half of 2023.

These new aircraft, together with existing aircraft being returned to service, address an immediate need for more capacity and connectivity, and mark a strong step forward, Campbell Wilson, CEO and managing director of the airline said, adding, “Air India has exciting expansion and renewal plans, of which these new aircraft are just the beginning.”

As part of its plan to expand its fleet, the airline in July announced its decision to allow its pilots fly till the age of 65, while the earlier retirement age for pilots was fixed at 58.