Air France-KLM has revealed plans to retire its older widebody fleet, in favor of more modern, fuel-efficient aircraft. The Franco-Dutch airline group already withdrew the mighty Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 from service following the pandemic, and is now making plans to retire its aging Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s.
The group’s CEO, Ben Smith, told Bloomberg of the plans at IATA’s Annual General Meeting this week in Istanbul. Several factors have spurred the drive for a more modern fleet. These range from a growing awareness of sustainability to the need for more fuel-efficient aircraft to operate routes to Asia, which are now longer than before due to the closure of Russian airspace.
Air France-KLM has revealed plans to retire its older widebody fleet, in favor of more modern, fuel-efficient aircraft. The Franco-Dutch airline group already withdrew the mighty Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 from service following the pandemic, and is now making plans to retire its aging Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s.
The group’s CEO, Ben Smith, told Bloomberg of the plans at IATA’s Annual General Meeting this week in Istanbul. Several factors have spurred the drive for a more modern fleet. These range from a growing awareness of sustainability to the need for more fuel-efficient aircraft to operate routes to Asia, which are now longer than before due to the closure of Russian airspace.
On the other end of the spectrum, Air France’s youngest long-haul aircraft are its Airbus A350-900s, while over at KLM, it is the Boeing 787-10. When it comes to replacing the aging aircraft, it remains to be seen if the airlines will stick with known types already in their fleets, or if they will opt for a different choice. The two carriers have operated both Airbus and Boeing aircraft for many years now, so anything is possible.
TAP Air Portugal takeover still on the cards
In addition to revealing Air France-KLM’s future fleet plans, Smith also went on to reaffirm the group’s interest in acquiring TAP Air Portugal. From its hubs at Lisbon Airport (LIS) and Porto Airport (OPO), the Portuguese flag carrier operates to more than ten destinations across Brazil, in addition to a handful of other long-haul routes throughout the Americas.
With its significant presence in Brazil, acquiring TAP Air Portugal would present Air France-KLM with the perfect opportunity to expand its South American network. The move could also turn Air France-KLM into the largest airline group in Europe, ahead of IAG and the Lufthansa Group.
Source: Simpleflying
