Air France (AF, Paris CDG) is set to take delivery of its first of twelve B787-9s three months earlier than originally expected France's Journal de l'Aviation has reported.
Quoting the head of Air France's longhaul fleet operations, Nicolas Bertrand, the publication says the twinjets will now arrive in November 2016 and not in January 2017 as originally planned.
The B787-9s are on lease from AerCap, though the original agreement was signed with the International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC).
Sister carrier, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL, Amsterdam Schiphol), is scheduled to take delivery of its first B787-9 during the second half of this year with its commercial debut - Amsterdam Schiphol-Abu Dhabi International-Bahrain International-Amsterdam - set for October 26, 2015.
The Dutch carrier has 23 of the type on order from Boeing (BOE, Washington National) of which two will be delivered this year, nine next year, five in 2017, two in 2018, one in 2021, two in 2023, and one in 2024.
Both allotments will be powered by GEnx-1B motors.
