On September 27, 2019, Air France (AF/AFR) received its first Airbus A350-900 in Toulouse, France. The airline ordered 21 of these aircraft from the European manufacturer. This number increased to 28 when the Air France group member KLM (KL/KLM) received its first Boeing 787-10 on June 30, 2019, as both airlines announced that they will swap open orders for the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787. While KLM transferred its full order of seven A350-900 to Air France, Air France transferred six of its ordered Boeing 787-9 aircraft to its sister company. The new Airbus A350-900 with the MSN 331 will be registered as F-HTYA and be based in Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, the airline’s main hub. The first flight of the new aircraft will take place on October 7, 2019, from Paris to Abidjan.

Anne Marie Couderc, CEO of Air France, baptized the aircraft to the name Toulouse “to honor the city, birthplace of our A350 and a symbol of excellence in the aviation world” and reviving a tradition started 60 years ago with the airline’s Caravelle “Alsace”.

Lever de rideau ! Bienvenue à notre premier @Airbus #A350 ! ✈️🇫🇷



Here it is, say hello to our first #AF350 pic.twitter.com/1NgamgCEmz — Air France Newsroom (@AFnewsroom) September 27, 2019

“I am honored that Air France has chosen the Airbus A350 as its new flagship. The A350 reflects our two companies’ longstanding commitment to improving performance, both competitive performance and environmental performance,” Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer stated during the official delivery ceremony in Toulouse.

The CEO of the Air France KLM Group, Ben Smith stated: “Together with Airbus, we are charting a new course, one that will contribute to the global influence of two major French brands and carrying the French flag around the world for all to see. The Air France KLM Group is proud to operate in France, in the Netherlands, and around the world. Our goal is to regain our rightful position as the leading European airline group, and with the hard work and dedication of all 88,000 of my colleagues.”

Air France will equip the Airbus A350 with 34 Business Class seats, 24 seats in Premium Economy and 266 in Economy Class. The Business Class surprisingly will see a new Business Class product, making this the fifth different one in Air France’s fleet. It was expected that Air France would also rely on the product used in most of its Boeing 777 and all Boeing 787 aircraft, so-called reverse herringbone seats in a 1-2-1 seating arrangement. But the reality is different, because the airline from France relies on staggered Business Class seats so far known from United’s Polaris Business Class only: the Zodiac Optima seat.

Featured image courtesy of Air France