The new A321neo offering a 15% reduction in fuel consumption will operate with the Transavia fleet, Air France’s low-cost airline based in the Netherlands
In line with its commitment to improving its economic and environmental performance, Air France-KLM continues the renewal of its fleet with the delivery of the first Airbus A321neo.
On December 19, 2023, the Group took delivery of a first A321neo aircraft, to be operated by Transavia Netherlands. Fitted with 232 seats in a single-class configuration, the aircraft will operate its first commercial flight out of Amsterdam Schiphol airport on January 5, 2024.
“This is the beginning of a new chapter for Transavia and for the Group”, stated Benjamin Smith, CEO of Air France-KLM. “By introducing the Airbus A320neo family into our fleet, we are bringing quieter, less polluting and more fuel-efficient aircraft, capable of transporting more passengers. This long-term massive investment into our fleet confirms our commitment to reducing our environmental footprint, as frontrunners of a more sustainable aviation, while improving our customers’ experience.”
This inaugural delivery follows the evolutionary order placed by Air France-KLM in 2021 for 100 Airbus A320neo family aircraft – with purchase rights for an additional 60 aircraft – to renew the fleets of KLM and Transavia Netherlands, and to renew and expand the fleet of Transavia France.
Transavia France and KLM are expected to take delivery of their first A320neo family aircraft in early January and by mid-year 2024 respectively.
Benefiting from the latest technological innovations, the A320neo family aircraft offer the best performance in their category for the network needs of the Group’s airlines. Compared to previous generation aircraft, they offer a 50% noise reduction as well as a 15% reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. They also enable to a unit cost reduction of more than 10%.
Fleet renewal is the first lever to cut CO2 and noise emissions, with immediate effect. Alongside the use of sustainable aviation fuels and operational measures such as eco-piloting, it is one of the pillars of the Group’s decarbonization trajectory, which aims for a 30% reduction of its CO2 emissions per passenger/km by 2030 compared to 2019.
By 2030, the share of new generation aircraft in the Group’s fleet is expected to reach 81%, against 21% in 2023.
Since the year 2000s, Air France-KLM already reduced its noise footprint by 40%.
