Runway Girl
• Mary Kirby
KLM has taken delivery of its first A350-900 in Toulouse, introducing the Airbus widebody into a long-haul fleet that has been dominated by Boeing aircraft. The airline’s business-class seats are nearing certification but will be blocked on the aircraft’s initial flights, limiting the cabin configuration at entry into service.
Orders
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KLM has taken delivery of its first A350-900 in Toulouse, introducing the Airbus widebody into a long-haul fleet that has been dominated by Boeing aircraft. The airline’s business-class seats are nearing certification but will be blocked on the aircraft’s initial flights, limiting the cabin configuration at entry into service.
COMAC’s reported backlog of 1,100 aircraft underscores the scale of its commercial aviation ambitions, but an order book alone does not secure market share. Converting that backlog into a durable position in the industry remains a difficult industrial undertaking.
United Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321XLR powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF Advantage engines, marking the first delivery of an aircraft equipped with the upgraded engine variant. The milestone brings the engine into airline service on the A321XLR.
Binter has secured €455 million ($510 million) in financing for nine E195-E2s it plans to receive from 2027. The total includes four aircraft that were purchase rights when the airline placed its latest order in July, bringing those options into its planned fleet pipeline.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines is expected to sign an agreement for 10 Airbus aircraft on Oct. 7, comprising four A350-900 widebodies and six A321neos. The planned purchase follows the carrier’s recently announced order for 11 Boeing 787-10s and 737-8s, indicating a major fleet expansion across both manufacturers.
Germany is considering buying 16 additional Airbus A400M military transport aircraft, a potential order that would expand its fleet while supporting production of the European airlifter at a critical point for the program. The purchase could help sustain the A400M industrial base and extend the platform’s production outlook.
High activity
KLM has received its first Airbus A350-900, PH-ZNA, named De Nachtwacht after Rembrandt’s painting. Delivered in Toulouse and flown to Amsterdam-Schiphol, the aircraft is scheduled to enter passenger service on October 30 between Amsterdam and Toronto, launching KLM’s planned 22-aircraft A350 fleet.
Taiwan has received the first two of 66 F-16V Block 70 fighters ordered to strengthen its air force, with the aircraft arriving at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung on Oct. 2, 2026. The delivery advances a major U.S.-backed modernization effort as pressure from China increases.
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