The Blue Group? Air France-KLM mulls over new name as SAS joins
May 11, 2026
The parent company of Air France and KLM may soon drop the airline brands from its corporate identity as Scandinavian carrier SAS moves closer to formally joining the group.
According to a report from the Dutch outlet NL Times, the airline holding company is considering changing its name from “Air France-KLM Group” as it expands beyond its two founding airlines. The move comes ahead of the expected completion of Air France-KLM’s acquisition of a majority stake in Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) later this year.
Air France-KLM wants to follow the IAG model
The report said internal discussions have already taken place among Air France-KLM senior management, with the current group name seen as too narrow for a growing multi-brand airline portfolio. A spokesperson quoted by NL Times said it was “completely logical” to discuss a new corporate identity as additional airlines join the business.
The individual airline brands of Air France, KLM and SAS would remain unchanged. The new name would apply to the wider holding company, similar to how International Airlines Group (IAG) operates brands including British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Vueling under a separate corporate umbrella.
Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reports that some executives and insiders in Paris have reportedly begun referring to the future holding company as “the Blue Group,” as a possible working title for the new corporate identity.
The floated name would align with the strong blue branding historically associated with Air France, KLM and SAS, while also creating a more neutral umbrella identity that could accommodate additional airline subsidiaries in the future. However, Air France-KLM has stressed that it has yet to decide on a final name for the group.
SAS joins Air France-KLM Group
In July 2025, Air France-KLM announced it would increase its stake in SAS from 19.9% to 60.5%, with SAS becoming a subsidiary, pending regulatory approval. The transaction is expected to close during the second half of 2026.
The deal is one of the biggest consolidation moves in European commercial aviation since Lufthansa Group acquired ITA Airways. It follows SAS’s exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in 2024 and its switch from the Star Alliance to SkyTeam, of which Air France-KLM is a founding member.
Air France-KLM has described SAS as strategically important because of its strong Nordic market position and growing long-haul operations at Copenhagen Airport.
The integration will extend to loyalty programs, scheduling, commercial partnerships and transatlantic joint ventures. In the announcement last July, Air France-KLM Group said the acquisition would allow the companies to “fully unlock their synergy potential.”
Blue or not, more acquisitions could follow
With the addition of a third airline, the group wants to transition from the two founding partners and toward a central identity poised for growth. The potential rebranding reflects Air France-KLM’s ambitions to become a larger pan-European aviation group, like IAG and Lufthansa.
The company is also actively pursuing a stake in TAP Air Portugal, which would not strictly fit the new “blue brand” but would advance the group’s strategy in Europe.
Featured Image: Capital Photos / KLM
