Very good contract for Airbus. The aircraft manufacturer announced this Monday that it had received a “significant” order from Air France-KLM for 50 long-haul A350-900 and A350-1000 aircraft.
The first deliveries are scheduled for 2026 and will continue until 2030.
This order represents more than $16 billion at Airbus’ list price, prices that were never applied due to discounts granted.
For the company, this involves “renewing and rationalizing its long-haul fleet” with more fuel-efficient aircraft that emit less CO2. It aims to replace the two companies’ 33 previous-generation Boeing 777-200s and A330s.
These aircraft, capable according to the version of transporting up to 410 passengers over 16,000 kilometers, allow a 25% reduction in fuel consumption compared to previous generation aircraft and a 40% reduction in their acoustic footprint.
25% less fuel
The A350 “will play a key role in achieving our ambitious decarbonisation targets, including achieving -30% CO2 emissions per passenger/km by 2030”, compared to 2019, according to group CEO Benjamin Smith. quoted in the press release.
The aircraft manufacturer announces that this order will be accompanied by acquisition rights for 40 additional aircraft.
“It will be a scalable order, which will offer the Group the flexibility to allocate the aircraft to its different companies according to market dynamics and the local regulatory framework,” specifies Air France-KLM in a press release.
Air France already uses 22 A350-900s and has yet to receive 19, while KLM has 33 Boeing 787s as the latest generation aircraft.
In a press release, Airbus said it was “very grateful to the Air France-KLM group for the trust it continues to place in Airbus,” considering it “an important step in (their) long-standing partnership.”
The two groups announced in early September their intention to create a joint venture for the maintenance of A350 parts.
On track to recover its pre-crisis capacity next year, Air France-KLM achieved record profitability in the second quarter, achieving a net profit of 604 million euros between April and June, when it had earned 728 million for all of 2022.
Source: BFM TV
