Airbus A350 Wins Air France-KLM Order as Part of Fleet Upgrade

Air France-KLM will order an additional seven Airbus SE A350 jets, including some freighters, as the carrier renews its widebody fleet.

(Bloomberg) — Air France-KLM will order an additional seven Airbus SE A350 jets, including some freighters, as the carrier renews its widebody fleet.

The order comprises four A350F freighters for KLM Cargo and an additional three A350s for Air France, the company said in a statement on its website. With those orders, Air France will have a fleet of 41 A350s, the statement said.

Airlines are in the midst of upgrading their long-haul fleets as flying rebounds from the Covid-19 pandemic, with more fuel efficient jets to slash emissions and reduce costs. Airbus is relying on the lower emissions as a selling point for the advanced A350F as it attempts to break into the freighter segment of the market long dominated by Boeing Co.

Equipped with a three class layout, Air France expects deliveries of the passenger A350s in 2024, while the freighters will be delivered in second half of 2026.

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