This morning, Air France - KLM announced the close of a firm order for 25 of optional Airbus A350-900 and 25 aircraft. The value of these aircraft, according to the catalog of the manufacturing company, amounts to approximately 7,2 billion dollars.
The agreement was concluded within the fair Paris Air Show 2013, event organized during this period at Le Bourget, near Paris, in the presence of Alexandre de Juniac, President and CEO of Air France-KLM Group starting with 1 July 2013 and Fabrice Brégier, President and CEO of Airbus.
The A350-900 aircraft will be equipped with Trent Rolls-Royce XWB engines, the only type of engine offered for this aircraft by the manufacturer. Including the latest technologies, the Trent XWB engine will significantly contribute to aircraft performance Airbus A350 XWB.
The novelty of this aircraft is the reduction of fuel consumption by more than 15% compared to current aircraft and also the significant reduction of noise and emissions, confirming Air France-KLM's commitment to the environment and sustainable development. Air France-KLM has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index since 2004, where it has been a leader in the "Transportation and Leisure" category for the past four years.
"This order of new generation, high-performance aircraft reflects the importance of our investments for the benefit of our passengers, their comfort being our main concern. With this addition of A350 aircraft, Air France and KLM will continue to operate one of the most modern fleets in the world and ensure the growth of their long-haul activities in parallel with significant cost savings. ”
, said Alexandre de Juniac.
Peter Hartman, KLM President and CEO, said:
"Our order for this type of aircraft opens a new chapter for the Group. This aircraft has significant environmental benefits and will help us achieve our ambitious goals of reducing noise and carbon dioxide emissions. ”
At the same time, the Air France-KLM Group signed today a preliminary agreement with Rolls-Royce through which it will equip the new A350 aircraft with Trent XWB engines. The agreement also stipulates that part of their maintenance process be carried out by Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance.
Airbus contract finalizes firm order for 50 aircraft (25 Airbus A350-900 and 25 Boeing 787-9) announced in September 2011. In December of that year, Air France-KLM also signed a contract for the purchase of 25 from 787-9 Boeing and optional for other 25 aircraft.
This joint Air France - KLM long-haul aircraft order aims to replace the 200/350 seats currently existing in the fleet in the medium term and also aims to support the Group's growth.
Based on the provisional fleet plan, the first Boeing 787-9 will enter the KLM service in the year 2016 and the first A350-900 will enter the Air France service in the year 2018. In the future, the two airlines will operate both types of aircraft.