Air France confirmed the long-term lease of another three Airbus A350 that will be part of Air Lease Corporation’s order book. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2024, the two airlines announced today.
«This strategic lease placement of three new A350-900s is another important step in the long-haul fleet modernization of Air France», said Steven Udvar-Házy, CEO of Air Lease Corporation. «The Air France-KLM Group is our largest European airline leasing customer» he highlighted.
Air France goes for the A350
Air France has been operating the European manufacturer’s latest long-range twin-aisle type since October 2019 and took delivery of the twentieth aircraft last November. It had initially ordered a total of 38 A350-900s, with deliveries planned gradually until 2025.
At the end of January this year, the Board of Directors approved an order for three additional airplanes. Thus, the company expects to have up to 41 Airbus A350-900s in the coming years.
As part of its renewal programme, Air France expects the latest generation aircraft (Airbus A220 for regional operations and Airbus A350 for intercontinental flights) to account for 70% of its fleet by the beginning of the next decade.
The aircraft, which are based at Paris-Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG), have an interior configuration of 324 seats divided into three classes: 34 seats in Business, 24 in Premium Economy and 266 seats in Economy.
See also: [REPORT] Air France’s Airbus A350 routes and flights in the Americas
