Airbus Updates No.4726

 KLM Royal Dutch Airlines welcomes 1st Airbus A350-900

After a flight of almost 1,5 hours from Toulouse-Blagnac, KLM's first Airbus A350-900 touched down at Schiphol on 2 October 2026. Registered PH-ZNA (809), the aircraft was greeted by a welcome ceremony including the traditional water-salute by the airport's fire brigade.

The A350 is the first of 22 the airline has gotten allocated of the 99 A350s Air France-KLM (both passenger-aircraft and freighters) has ordered in total with Airbus. The airline group also holds purchase rights for another 40 aircraft.

Within the KLM-fleet, the A350-900 will be used to replace its older fleet of Airbus A330s and Boeing B777-200ERs.

On 3 October 2026, KLM will begin crew familiarisation flights with its new aircraft by deploying it on two round-trips from Amsterdam to Stavanger. In a few weeks, the A350 is set to be used on flights to Toronto. The other destinations the aircraft is planned for in the upcoming Winter 2026-schedule are Montreal, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, and Zanzibar.

KLM's second A350-900 is scheduled to be delivered later this year, with a third following early next year.

The widebody-fleet of KLM is currently made-up of five A330-200s, five A330-300s, fifteen B777-200ERs, sixteen B777-300ERs, thirteen B787-9s, and fifteen B787-10s.

Airbus Updates No.4650

1st KLM Airbus A350-900 painted

The first Airbus A350-900 for KLM has emerged from the paintshop at Toulouse-Blagnac. The aircraft, currently registered F-WZNM (809), will now be readied for its first flight. Delivery as PH-ZNA is planned to happen at the end of this summer, with two more A350s to follow before the end of the year.

KLM has orders for 22 A350-900s which will be used by the airline to replace the A330 and Boeing B777-200ER in the fleet. The first destinations announced are Dar es Salaam and Toronto.

Today, KLM's fleet is made-up of fifteen A321neos, six A330-200s, five A330-300s, seven B737-700s, 27 B737-800s, five B737-900s, fifteen B777-200ERs, sixteen B777-300ERs, thirteen B787-9s, and fifteen B787-10s.

Photo by Eurospot.

Airbus Updates No.4347

KLM takes delivery of 1st Airbus A321neo

27 August 2024, is an important date for KLM as it's the day when the airline took delivery of its first Airbus A321neo, kicking-off its mainline narrowbody replacement programme.

After a festive ceremony at the Airbus-plant at Hamburg-Finkenwerder, A321-200NX PH-AXA (11895) was ferried to Schiphol where it landed safely just before 15:00 hrs local time. The delivery flight was very popular and was even briefly the most followed flight on Flightradar24!

This year, KLM will take delivery of three more A321neos. Entry into commercial service is scheduled to begin next month, with the type first being used to Berlin, Copenhagen and Stockholm.

Photo by KLM.

Airbus Updates No.4309

 

1st A321neo for KLM rolls out of paintshop

The introduction of the first Airbus A321neo is coming closer with the first aircraft having received its livery. A321-252NX D-AXXQ (11895) was photographed by Dirk Grothe at Hamburg-Finkenwerder on 24 June 2024. It will become PH-AXA once it is delivered.

Delivery of the aircraft is planned for August, with entry into commercial service in September. KLM will send its new type first to Berlin, Copenhagen, and Stockholm. In October, the A321neo will also be introduced on flights to Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Prague, and Vienna.

The aircraft is also the first aircraft to wear the slightly modified KLM-livery, with the "swoop" now going lower earlier on the fuselage, resulting in a complete blue nose.

Tweet and photo by Dirk Grothe.

Airbus Updates No.4222

KM to introduce a slightly updated livery on the A321neo

On 13 February 2024, KLM announced it will introduce a slightly updated livery on its upcoming Airbus A321neos. The "swoop" downwards will now go lower, which means the dark blue line will be under the nosedome of the aircraft. Today, this line is over the nose of the aircraft. In the press-release, KLM states that having a nose in a single colour makes nosedome replacements easier. The new A321neos will also feature the raccoon-mask around the cockpit windows. It's unclear if the modification will also be transferred to other types in the fleet.

KLM is expecting to take delivery of four A321neos this year, which are all leased via CDB Aviation:

• A321-251NX PH-AXA (11895)
• A321-251NX PH-AXB (12144)
• A321-251NX PH-AXC (12238)
• A321-251NX PH-AXD (12254)

The A321neo will be equipped with 227 seats, featuring 197 economy seats and 30 business class/economy comfort seats.

On 26 August 2024, KLM will launch commercial flights and the first destinations will be Berlin, Copenhagen and Stockholm. After delivery of the second aircraft, KLM will add Edinburgh, London-Heathrow and Paris-Charles de Gaulle as next destinations.

Airbus Updates No.4206

 

KLM to debut A321neo ops in mid-3Q24

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL, Amsterdam Schiphol) plans to debut its A321-200neo operations in late August 2024, deploying its first aircraft of the type out of Amsterdam Schiphol to Stockholm Arlanda, Berlin Brandenburg International, and Copenhagen Kastrup, according to local aviation news site Luchtvaartnieuws.nl.

The airline's second A321neo will begin operations on October 7, 2024, and will be used on routes to London Heathrow, Edinburgh, and Paris CDG. The Dutch flag carrier will configure its aircraft of the type for up to 227 passengers.

KLM will be the third and, for now, final airline from the Air France-KLM group to add the A320neo Family aircraft. The holding's two low-cost carriers, Transavia Airlines and Transavia France, took delivery of their first A321neo and A320-200neo in late December 2023 and early January 2024.

The deliveries are delayed by as much as six months compared to the original plan.

The entire holding has a firm order for 100 A320neo Family aircraft with a further sixty options. Air France is not currently poised to participate in the order. The group will supplement the order from Airbus with leased aircraft; KLM expects three A321neo from CDB Aviation in the second half of 2024.