less than a week ago, aviation experts were talking about whether KLM would survive because the Netherlands was considering a tax on people who only used the airport in Amsterdam as a transfer point. Observers said people would be reluctant to fly KLM to get to other points in Europe and still have to pay a tax just to land in Amsterdam without staying.
But the combined company seems to be healthy enough to order almost 100 planes.
An order was placed for the A350-900 and A350-1000. This is for a firm order of 50 jets with an option for 40, to be delivered between 2023 and 2030. The breakdown of which aircraft are going to which airline is unknown.
In a statement, Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith said: “This new order will be a major step in the renewal of the Group’s fleet. The Airbus A350 is a state-of-the-art aircraft with an excellent track record at Air France, where it has rapidly become a favorite among passengers and crew since its entry into service in 2019. 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. It will be instrumental in helping the Group reach our ambitious sustainability targets, including -30% CO2 emissions per passenger kilometer by 2030.”
