Air France is preparing to launch its 7th Airbus A350 next month. The flag bearer of France has already given the plane a new name before the first flight in Toulouse this week. This A350-900 will by no means be the last to enter the fold. The airline expects at least 31 more units to join in this decade.
An appropriate name
The plane is named after Reims, the most populous city in the Marne department, in the Grand Est region of France. Air France has a history of nicknaming its A350 aircraft after names of French cities. F-HTYG will join the company Toulouse, Lyon, Saint-Denis de La Réunion, Nice, Bordeaux and Marseille when it hits the air for the operator.
On the way to the first flight, Msn 479 will become F-HTYG for @AirFranceFR# a350 #airfrance # lugbus pic.twitter.com/nVzjHMXoQc
– Philippe DURAND (@ A318111) 28 January 2021
France Bleu emphasizes that commercial services for this aircraft are expected to start in March 2021. After this, there are many more additions in the coming years. In total, Air France plans to tackle a total of 38 units by 2025. It will be well used on long routes across the continents. Passengers flying to the United States, Mali and Thailand can expect to be transported by the wide-body aircraft.
Eurofilms documented the plane’s first flight in Toulouse Blagnac this week in the video below:
A strong presence
The Air France A350s will play a prominent role this decade following the exit of the airline’s A380 aircraft. Last May, the airline announced that it had retired nine units from the superjumbo. This event was initially intended for 2022, but the pandemic brought plans to the fore.
Just before the onset of the global health crisis, the Air France-KLM group confirmed that it had decided to place a fixed order of another ten A350-900s. Benjamin Smith, CEO of Air France-KLM Group, spoke about the benefits of the aircraft. Overall, his firm looks forward to the efficiency benefits that are there.
“The rationalization and modernization of the navy is important in our effort to regain our leading position in Europe,” Smith said in a press release seen by Simple Flying.
‘It will strengthen our performance from an economic and operational point of view and help us achieve our ambitious sustainability agenda. The Airbus A350-900 offers a 25% reduction in fuel consumption compared to previous generation aircraft and is a gem of European expertise and a favorite for passengers. We are excited to see it become a core asset of the Air France fleet. ”
Hope for the future
Despite the harsh climate amid the travel restrictions amid the pandemic, all Air France A350s from Air France are still active. Once conditions have improved, Air France should have no problem using its incoming units around the world.
Simple Flying reached out to Air France for additional details on its Airbus A350 delivery plans. We will update the article with any further announcements from the airline.
What are your thoughts on Air France A350 aircraft from Air France? Have you flown on one of the carrier’s units in the past? Let us know what you think of the type in the comments section.