KLM Plans Further Boeing 787 Dreamliner Orders to Refresh Aging Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 Fleet

KLM, the flagship airline of the Netherlands and integral part of the Air France-KLM group, is set to bolster its fleet with additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners, aiming to phase out its older Boeing 777-200ERs and Airbus A330s. As of now, KLM boasts a robust fleet of 28 Boeing 787s, split between 13 787-9s and 15 787-10s, and has commitments for another six 787-9s.

Insiders reveal that KLM’s preference for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner stems from its superior efficiency, reliability, and adaptability, aligning seamlessly with KLM’s network dynamics and existing fleet makeup. Initially, both the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777X were in contention for the renewal, but they were deemed either oversized or not timely enough to meet KLM’s immediate needs.

While the precise details of the prospective Boeing 787 order remain under wraps, industry speculation suggests an order of around 50 planes, sufficiently covering the replacement of the 18 Boeing 777-200ERs and 15 Airbus A330s currently in service. There’s also buzz about the inclusion of the more spacious Boeing 787-10 variant, capable of accommodating 344 passengers in its two-class layout.

In a parallel development, KLM’s counterpart, Air France, has taken delivery of four out of its 38 Airbus A350-900 orders, which are slated to replace its aging Airbus A340s and Boeing 777-200ERs. Elaborating on the divergent fleet choices, Ben Smith, the CEO of Air France-KLM, emphasized that each decision was tailored to the distinct network and operational demands of the two airlines.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, airdatanews.com, simpleflying.com