KLM operated its first passenger flight with the Airbus A350-900 on Thursday, October 30, with aircraft PH-ZNA flying from Amsterdam Schiphol to Toronto as flight KL691.
Named De Nachtwacht (“The Night Watch”), the aircraft carried passengers and eight metric tons (17,600 lb) of cargo on the inaugural service. KLM plans to use the A350 on flights to Montreal, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam, Nairobi and Zanzibar after its introduction on the Toronto route.
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The first KLM A350 has 331 seats in three classes: 34 in World Business Class, 26 in Premium Comfort and 271 in Economy. The Business cabin uses a 1-2-1 layout, compared with 2-2-2 aboard the airline’s Boeing 777-300ERs.
The A350 also carries fewer passengers than KLM’s 777-300ER, which has capacity for 381 passengers. The Boeing has about 35 Business Class seats and 24 Premium Comfort seats, depending on configuration, and uses a denser 3-4-3 Economy layout, against 3-3-3 on the A350.
Seven years after giving up the A350
The arrival of the A350 at KLM closes an unusual chapter in the fleet plans of the Air France-KLM group. The Dutch airline was originally expected to receive the type years earlier.
In 2019, however, Air France-KLM reorganized the widebody orders of its two main airlines. Seven A350-900s originally allocated to KLM were transferred to Air France, while six Boeing 787s ordered for the French carrier moved to KLM. The strategy was intended to concentrate the A350 fleet at Air France and the 787 at KLM, simplifying the fleets of both airlines.
The decision meant KLM was expected to eventually operate a long-haul fleet centered on the Boeing 777 and 787, while Air France became the group’s A350 operator.
That strategy lasted only four years. In 2023, Air France-KLM ordered another 50 A350-900s and A350-1000s, plus 40 purchase rights, with flexibility to distribute the aircraft between the two airlines. The new order brought the A350 back to KLM, which is now expected to operate 22 A350-900s.
PH-ZNA alone for now
PH-ZNA was delivered from Airbus in Toulouse to Amsterdam on October 2 after completing its flight-test program in September. It is the first of the 22 A350-900s planned for KLM.
At least five more aircraft have already been identified in the delivery sequence, with registrations PH-ZNB through PH-ZNF. None has flown yet. PH-ZNB, which will be named Meisje met de parel (“Girl with a Pearl Earring”), is expected in December, while PH-ZNC is currently expected in February 2027. The following three aircraft are associated with deliveries later in 2027.
That schedule means PH-ZNA is likely to remain KLM’s only operational A350 for at least several weeks before the second aircraft joins the fleet.
