KLM invest in more fuel-efficient long-haul aircraft with Airbus A350s
KLM plans to renew its older generation long-haul fleet with Airbus A350 aircraft in the coming years. These new wide-body aircraft have substantial benefits in terms of reducing CO2 emissions and noise impact. Both Air France and KLM have now invested in these aircraft. I would assume that KLM will go for something similar to Air France’s recently announced business class suites for their A350s.
Today marks a very special day for KLM. We have taken a big step towards our future with the proposed decision of purchasing new aircraft. We can make our fleet significantly cleaner, quieter and more fuel-efficient with the A350s. This is important, because we are all faced with the major task of becoming more sustainable. Furthermore, we can offer our passengers much more service and comfort on intercontinental destinations.
Marjan Rintel, CEO KLM
The Air France KLM Group has signed an agreement with Airbus for a total of 50 Airbus A350-900 and A350-1000 aircraft, with an option for 40 further aircraft. The 50 aircraft have been ordered and will be allocated between KLM and Air France according to local markets and regulatory conditions. KLM expects to begin deploying the Airbus A350 on intercontinental flights from 2026, replacing its Boeing 777-200ERs, Airbus A330-200s and Airbus A330-300s. This is good news as currently, KLM has rather outdated seats on their A330s, and this should give more consistency across the fleet.
Emirates offers a world-class range of coffee
Emirates sent out a press release for World Coffee Day and I thought it was rather interesting when you compare it to the very basic coffee options on some other airlines. Emirates serves more than 17 tonnes of coffee onboard every year, and works with a range of suppliers, including Lavazza, Coffee Planet, the Nairobi Coffee and Tea Company, and a host of independent suppliers globally.
Business and First Class customers can order from a coffee menu on demand, including a wide range of options like decaffeinated coffee, cappuccino, iced Americano, espresso, macchiato, and Arabic coffee with cardamom and saffron. You can also order an affogato al café dessert, where espresso is poured over creamy ice-cream. These coffees are made with Lavazza beans, which I am personally a fan of.
In the First Class lounge in Concourse B, Dubai International Airport, Emirates has a dedicated coffee counter where customers can choose between a variety of three single blend origin coffees freshly prepared by a barista. The Emirates team have been specially trained to suggest the best coffee for the customer’s preferences. The selection changes every two months so that regular travellers can sample beans from all around the world.
Emirates Cabin Crew receive specialised coffee training, where they learn about the origins of coffee, different blends and how to make the perfect cup for every customer. In practical training sessions, cabin crew learn how to serve and present each coffee type and are assessed on the preparation and delivery of Emirates signature Arabic coffee. First Class passengers can enjoy their coffee in a choice of Royal Doulton fine bone mug or cup, and Business Class passengers in the fine bone china mug.
One thing Emirates is very good at is this sort of finishing touches which make all the difference. It is a shame that many of its business class seats are still in a 2-2-2 configuration with little privacy or worse 2-3-2.
2 comments
Hi Michele,
Speaking of coffee, have you ever flown Austrian long haul? They have an extensive and delicious coffee menu, and excellent food as well. A pleasant surprise given how average Lufthansa is. Would love to hear your thoughts on them.
Hi Luke. No it’s not an airline I’ve flown on yet but useful to know about the coffee. Thanks for the tip!
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