Aeroflot Group is nearing delivery of its first Airbus A350-900, a central part of the Russian operator’s fleet modernisation and international expansion strategy for the next 3 years. It will receive its first 316-seat Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered A350 at the end of this month, gradually using the twinjet type to replace its A330s. Aeroflot’s fleet plan indicates the introduction of 22 A350s by 2023, as it reduces its A330-300 and -200 fleet to 3 aircraft over the same interval. The carrier claims the A350 will “inaugurate the next level of seat-mile cost” for the company. While Aeroflot originally ordered 22 A350s it subsequently reduced the order to 14 – the current figure – after cutting 8 A350-800s. <br/>
sky
Air France-KLM’s full-year operating profits slipped nearly a fifth in 2019 as higher fuel costs and a deteriorating cargo market hit its performance. The carrier group posted an operating profit of E1.14b (US$1.23b), down 18.8% on the 2018 figure. Net profit fell E130m to E290m for 2019. While group revenue climbed 3.3% to reach E27.2b, it cites higher fuel costs as impacting its bottom line in 2019. The group’s fuel bill increased around 10% to E5.5b during the year. KLM continues to deliver the bulk of overall group profits. The Dutch carrier contributed E853m to the group operating profits in 2019 – though this represented a fall of E238m on the previous year. Air France delivered a full-year operating profit of E280m, down E41m on the 2018 figure. These respective figures incorporate Transavia and the maintenance division contributions. <br/>
Air France’s withdrawal of the Airbus A380 fleet has resulted in its parent taking a |E126m (US$136m) impairment on the aircraft type. The carrier disclosed last year that it would retire its A380 fleet by 2022, just 13 years after introducing the double-deck type. Air France originally ordered 12 A380s but only took delivery of 10, having swapped the remaining pair for A350s in 2016. Nine of its 10 A380s remain operational. Air France-KLM Group states in its newly-released full-year financial results that the progressive early phase-out of the A380s is likely to cost E370m. This figure, it says, is mainly due to accelerated depreciation of the aircraft which would normally have assumed a 20-year operational life. <br/>