Delivered but not quite ready: KLM welcomes first Airbus A350, but business class seats not available
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KLM welcomed its first Airbus A350-900 on 2 October, but the aircraft will enter service without its new World Business Class (WBC) seats available for sale.
Dutch flag carrier KLM, which is a member of the Air France-KLM Group, took delivery of its first A350-900 on 2 October. The delivery is part of an incremental order for up to 90 of the aircraft type with 50 firm orders and 40 options. The type is the airline’s latest generation widebody and a central part of its €7 billion fleet renewal programme.
How will KLM distribute the A350 across its fleet?
Based at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, KLM’s new A350 aircraft will strengthen the airline’s global network, serving long-haul routes including Toronto, Montreal, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam, Nairobi and Zanzibar. It joins an Airbus fleet which includes 10 A330 family aircraft and 17 A321neos and is expected to replace some of KLM’s Boeing 777s currently used on its long-haul network.
KLM CEO Marjan Rintel called the delivery “an important milestone for KLM and for the Netherlands.” She added that fleet renewal is “one of the most effective ways we can make our operations cleaner, quieter, and more fuel-efficient.”
The A350 will also mean “more comfort for passengers,” she added.
Both KLM and Airbus say the aircraft burns approximately 25% less fuel than previous-generation aircraft. Additionally, its noise footprint is around 40% smaller, reducing the impact on communities living close to the airport, particularly during takeoff and landing.
KLM’s seat certification delay
The issue is KLM’s new business-class seat which has not yet been approved. KLM says the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has approved the test results for the WBC seat, but final certification is still underway. This means KLM can’t sell the business-class seats when the aircraft enters service.
Typically costing three to five times the price of an economy seat, business-class seating is usually the most profitable for long-haul carriers despite taking up more cabin space.
The certification delay stems from what the airline describes as EASA’s “revised interpretation of regulatory requirements.”
KLM chose the OPERA suite, designed and built by Stelia Aerospace. The seat is also fitted to Air France’s newest A350s. Air France has already received certification for its version, which has a slightly wider pitch (43 inches against KLM’s 42). Both airlines share the same regulator.
Germany’s Lufthansa faced a similar problem when certification of its Allegris seats on the Boeing 787-9 was delayed, leaving newly delivered Dreamliners flying with business-class seats blocked for months.
How KLM’s A350 is configured
The aircraft seats 331 passengers in three classes, according to Airbus.
- World Class Business: 34 suites in the WBC cabin, featuring sliding privacy doors, personal storage, a fully flat bed, a 19-inch 4k screen and 110V AC and USB-C power. Seat width is 21 inches.
- Premium comfort: 26 Collins Aerosapce MiQ seats in a 2-4-2 layout, with 38-inch pitch, winged headres, adjustable leg rest and a 16-inch 4k touchscreen.
- Economy: 271 Recaro R3 seats in a 3-3-3 layout, including 33 Economy Comfort seats with 4 inches of extra legroom and 2 inches of additional recline.
Overall, that compares with 243 seats on KLM’s A330-200s, 292 on its A330-300s and 316 on its 777-200ERs.
Dutch masterpieces take to the skies
In a nod to KLM’s Dutch heritage, the carrier has named its first Airbus A350 after one of the country’s best-known artworks – Rembrandt van Rijn’s The Night Watch. The painting is a major draw to the Rijksmuseum for global visitors and echoes KLM’s role in connecting the Netherlands with the rest of the world. The second A350, due for delivery imminently, will be named after Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring.
In addition to the A350 for intercontinental routes and the A350F for cargo operations, KLM’s fleet renewal programme also includes the Airbus A321neo, the Embraer E2 fleet operated by KLM Cityhopper and Boeing 787 aircraft.
