Air France-KLM will launch a tender for new medium-haul aircraft in the first quarter of 2018 and plans to decide on the new aircraft for all four group's subsidiaries by the end of this year, CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac said during a hearing in the French Senate.
He underlined that the holding will invite all manufacturers to participate in the tender, including Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier Aerospace, and Embraer.
The renewal will concern Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, mainline units of the group, as well as its low-cost subsidiary Transavia Airlines and regional unit HOP! (France).
It is unclear what exactly did Janaillac mean by the "medium-haul" designator, but most likely the replacement will concern the 100+ seat narrow-body segment.
Currently, the group's medium-haul fleet consists of a variety of types from all major manufacturers.
According to the ch-aviation fleet module, Air France currently operates eighteen A318-100s, thirty-eight A319-100s, forty-two A320-200s, five A321-100s, and fifteen A321-200s. For its part, HOP! operates fourteen CRJ1000ERs, ten E190s, along with a number of smaller Bombardier and Embraer regional jets.
KLM operates eighteen B737-700s, twenty-seven B737-800s, five B737-900s, and its KLM cityhopper (WA, Amsterdam Schiphol) unit thirty EMB-190s.
For its part, Transavia operates eight B737-700s and thirty-one B737-800s, while its subsidiary Transavia France operates a further twenty-four B737-800s.
