Posted on 06/21/2007 1:05:01 PM PDT by Freeport
In a deal worth $2.7 billion at list prices, Air France and KLM have teamed up to make a joint order for Boeing 737s and 777s. A total of nine 777-300ERs will be delivered to Air France while KLM will receive seven 737-700s. Options for a further nine 777s and seven 737-700s are also part of the deal.
The order is the first aircraft evaluation and purchase conducted by the Air France-KLM Group since it merged in 2003. However, the carriers are at pains to point out that they remain separate in operational terms. The fleet renewal “underscores our intention to operate as full-fledged airline brands within the Air France-KLM Group”, says Peter Hartman, the newly appointed chief executive of KLM.
The merged airlines will “try to make some leverage because of our size as a very large air carrier”, says Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, chief operating officer of Air France. “We are more and more together,” he says, especially in terms of negotiating with Airbus and Boeing.
(Excerpt) Read more at flightglobal.com ...
They’re also buying the A380, but the 777 is hard to beat for most routes.
They love the 777-300ER which performed even better than Boeing's projections. Airbus wouldn't build the A340-600 with GE engines (which have quite a bit of French content), so Air France ordered 777-300's rather than A340-600's.
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I expect their name will be AirFrance/KLM/Northwest in a few years.
Im surprised its not KLMWest already..
Air France has always had planes from both Airbus and Boeing. They’ve recently gone all-A320 series on their shorter routes, ditching what 737s they had, but they love their 777s, and they’re a 747-400 carrier as well (although I think they’re starting to phase those out).
I know it’s surprising, considering who and where they are, but they’ve always balanced both the big manufacturers in their fleet.
}:-)4
Due to legal restrictions on foreign ownership and the restrictions on the ability to operate flights in various countries.
HA HA AIRBUS HA HA!
LOL, awesome!
I’ve always wondered if Air France buys Boeing to learn more about how Boeing airplanes work.??
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