Air France-KLM Eyes Major Expansion with Up to 50 New Wide-Body Planes

The Air France-KLM group is mulling over a significant expansion plan, eyeing a new order for long-haul aircraft to rejuvenate a part of its aging fleet. According to sources, the order could encompass up to 50 planes from renowned manufacturers such as Airbus and/or Boeing.

Details of the Prospective Order

As per a report by The Air Current, insiders have revealed that the potential order aims at replacing the older Airbus A330s and Boeing 777-200ERs in the fleet. The anticipated announcement could possibly be made by the end of September 2023.

In their H1 2023 report released in July, Air France-KLM divulged that the group possessed 540 aircraft, with 521 being actively in service as of June 30, 2023. The report detailed the average age of various segments of the fleet, noting a substantial age in certain sectors.

Fleet Modernization and Growth

The aviation giant has been continually focusing on fleet modernization, signaling growth particularly in the A350-900 segment within Air France and the B787-10s at KLM. This focus is part of an overarching strategy to streamline and upgrade their operations to modern standards.

As of now, the company maintains a varied fleet, including a significant number of Boeing and Airbus aircraft. A noteworthy development has been the recent collaboration between the company and Airbus to establish a joint maintenance venture, potentially influencing the ongoing negotiations for the new fleet expansion.