Air France-KLM and Qantas have signed a multi-billion dollar deal with Airbus for hundreds of aircraft, including the Airbus A350F, to renew their fleet.
Air France-KLM has ordered 100 Airbus A320neo family aircraft to renew the fleet of its subsidiaries, with deliveries beginning in the second half of 2023. The deal also includes purchase rights for an additional 60 aircraft. KLM and Transavia will operate the aircraft. However, the number of aircraft each will receive is unknown.
In addition, Air France-KLM also signed a letter of intent for the recently launched Airbus A350 Freighters, along with options for additional four aircraft.
In a press release, CEO of the Air France-KLM Group, Benjamin Smith, said:
“These evolutionary orders will position our Group airlines on the path to improved performance while accelerating our decarbonisation trajectory. The outstanding performances of the A320neo family and of the A350F Full-Freighter, which are quieter, more fuel-efficient and more cost-effective aircraft, make them the best choices for the long-term growth of our fleet.”
Qantas Domestic Fleet Renewal
Qantas also announced that it had reached an agreement with Airbus for 20 A321XLRs and 20 A220-300s in a move to renew its domestic fleet. The deal also includes purchase rights for an additional 94 aircraft over a 10-plus year delivery window.
Qantas Group stated that this major deal brings Qantas Group and Airbus’ commitments to 299 aircraft spread across Airbus A220 and A320 family aircraft. Qantas is looking forward to gradually phasing out its domestic fleet of Boeing 737-800s and 717s.
The Australian flag carrier also said that this deal would represent the largest aircraft order in Australian aviation history when finalised. In a press release, Qantas Group CEO Alon Joyce thanked all manufacturers, saying:
“Can I thank Airbus, Boeing, Embraer and the engine manufacturers for the efforts they put into this process? This was a very tough choice to make. Each option delivered on our core requirements around safety, capability and emissions reductions. But when you multiply even small benefits in areas like range or cost across this many aircraft and over the 20 years they’ll be in the fleet, Airbus was the right choice as preferred tenderer.”
Feature Image: “Airbus”