Air France-KLM announced Wednesday "the definitive cessation of operation" of its nine large A380 aircraft, initially scheduled for the end of 2022, due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis on its activity. "Five of the Airbus A380s in the current fleet are owned by Air France or under finance lease, the other four are under operating leases," the group said in a statement.
"Faced with the Covid-19 crisis and given its impact on expected activity levels, the Air France-KLM group today announces the permanent cessation of operation of Air France Airbus A380s" , indicates the group.
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"Replaced by new generation devices"
"Initially planned for the end of 2022, the withdrawal of the Airbus A380 fleet is part of the Air France-KLM group's fleet simplification strategy which aims to make it more competitive, by continuing its transformation with more modern, more efficient planes whose environmental footprint is considerably reduced, "he continues.
"The overall impact of the depreciation of the Airbus A380 fleet is estimated at 500 million euros and will be recognized in the second quarter of 2020 in non-current income", according to the group.
"The Airbus A380 will be replaced by new generation aircraft, like the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 787, whose deliveries are in progress," according to the group.
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Loss of 1.8 billion euros in the first quarter
Air France-KLM posted a net loss of 1.8 billion euros in the first quarter, affected by the first effects of the Covid-19 on air transport in March, and displays very bleak prospects until the third quarter.
He announced in July that for reasons of profitability of the aircraft, more greedy in kerosene and more polluting than the last generations of long-haul aircraft, he would stop flying the giant of the air which Airbus had announced in February the end of production.