The Air France-KLM group will reduce its orders for the Airbus A350F (Freighter) from eight to six aircraft amid the freighter’s delayed entry into service. The group remains committed to a mixed cargo fleet, operating dedicated freighters and taking advantage of belly hold capacity.
The group’s reduced order follows Air Lease Corporation’s cancellation of an order for seven A350Fs. The A350F is expected to enter service in 2027, replacing older freighters in various airline fleets. However, prospective operators will have to wait as the program has faced delays.
Ensuring Operational Efficiency
The group was initially supposed to take delivery of eight A350Fs – four for Air France Cargo and four for Martinair, its Dutch cargo subsidiary. However, one aircraft will be removed from each order book, leaving a total commitment of six aircraft for the group. Air France-KLM concluded the deal for Air France in April 2022, while the order for Martinair was concluded in January 2023.
Earlier in March, Air France-KLM said that it planned to reduce the order following a review of its portfolio and Airbus’ announcement that the aircraft would be delayed. As reported by Cargo Airports and Airline Services, the group has now confirmed its plans. The group says the decision is aimed at balancing future capital expenditure with operational efficiency.
Air France-KLM will remain committed to its mixed cargo fleet, combining dedicated freighters with ample belly capacity on its passenger aircraft. According to ch-aviation, Air France Cargo currently operates two Boeing 777-200Fs, while Martinair operates three Boeing 747-400Fs. The group confirmed that the A350Fs will eventually replace the Boeing freighters. However, leases on the current aircraft could be extended to ensure service continuity.
Delaying The A350F Program
The Airbus A350 Freighter was launched in 2021 and was expected to enter service in 2026. However, in February, Airbus announced that the aircraft’s entry into service would be delayed until the second half of 2027 due to supply chain issues. The first flight-test A350F is expected to enter final assembly later this year, but supply chain challenges are affecting production ramp-up.
Ch-aviation shows that Airbus has received 69 orders for the A350, with the eight Air France-KLM orders included. However, at least 13 belong to unidentified customers. Etihad Airways and Starlux lead in terms of orders with ten aircraft each. Other future operators include CMA CGM Air Cargo, Cathay Pacific, Silk Way West, Singapore Airlines, and Turkish Airlines.
However, Airbus lost its A350F launch customer, Air Lease Corporation (ALC), after the US-based lessor dropped its order for seven aircraft, according to Airbus’ June orders and deliveries report. ALC was to become the launch customer for the type in 2021 after ordering seven A350Fs as part of a larger order for 110 aircraft. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s AviLease ordered 77 Airbus aircraft, including 55 A320neos and 22 A350Fs.
Air France A350 Order Changes
Air France-KLM is also re-evaluating its A350 passenger aircraft orders. The group will reduce its A350-1000 orders, converting them to the smaller A350-900. In 2023, Air France-KLM had ordered 50 A350s, including 39 -900s and 11 -1000s. However, the manufacturer’s latest backlog figures indicate that up to eight A350-1000 orders had been converted to -900s.
The group’s decision reflects a preference for smaller-capacity aircraft with longer range. The aircraft are meant to replace the group’s A330s and older Boeing 777 aircraft. The order for 50 aircraft came in addition to a previous order for 41 A350-900s for Air France, of which 39 have been delivered. The additional order, combined with the A350F order, will make Air France-KLM the largest operator of the A350 family.
airbus
- Stock Code
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AIR
- Business Type
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Planemaker
- Date Founded
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December 18, 1970
- CEO
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Guillaume Faury
As of July 2025, Airbus has received 1,428 orders for the A350, of which 669 have been delivered. Ethiopian Airlines was one of the latest carriers to take delivery of the type, receiving its fourth A350-1000 on August 1, 2025. In June, Airbus received orders for ten A350-1000s from Starlux, 25 A350-1000s from Riyadh Air, and ten A350Fs from AviLease.
