The Franco-Dutch group will place an order for 50 of the Airbus A350-900 and the larger A350-1000 model, alongside purchase rights for 40 additional aircraft, according to a statement. First deliveries will start in 2026 and run through to 2030. With the airline group’s existing A350s and those pending, the purchase will make Air France-KLM the single biggest operator of the jet.
The company’s board met earlier today to approve the purchase of Airbus’s most advanced airliner, which will help meet the sustainability targets, including a 30% decline in carbon emissions. Air France-KLM has a previous order for for 41 Airbus A350-900s for Air France, of which 22 have been delivered.
Boeing announced a separate deal earlier on Monday with Air Canada, which agreed to buy 18 787-10 Dreamliner models. The aircraft will be used to replace older, less efficient wide-body aircraft currently in the Air Canada fleet, and will begin shipping on the fourth quarter of 2025.