In the reconfigured Fokker 70’s with new slim seats the European Business Class will be reduced to six rows.  For the introduction Economy Comfort on the Embraer 190 fleet only a reconfiguration of current seats is necessary. The introduction of Economy Comfort will decrease the number of European Business Class seats.

Modified Fokker 70 aircraft will be easy to recognize when you enter the aircraft, showing 80 new seats with exclusive design.

The seats will have the following new characteristics:

• Recline of the seatback is possible by operating a recline handle under the seat.
• The light weight seats and the new light weight seatbelts save up to 140kg per aircraft.
• The seat cover design is made of E-leather (eco leather). This fabric is made of leather off-cuts and produced environmentally friendly.
• Co-designed in cooperation with Fokker Services and its partner ACRO and Dutch designer Hella Jongerius.

• the amount of the fuel surcharge is now directly included in the cost of miles when purchasing award tickets for medium-haul flights. Only the airport taxes have to be paid separately.
• customers retain their Elite (Silver, Gold, Platinum) status more easily: all status miles in excess of the customer’s current card threshold level are automatically carried over from one year to the next**.

Flying Blue Store, an online store for earning and using miles
Since April 2012, the Flying Blue Store, a real online shop dedicated to Flying Blue members has been accessible on the www.flyingbluenews.com site. It notably allows:

• to purchase awards with 31 airlines and over 100 non-airline partners: Hertz, Avis, Sixt, Best Western, Hilton, UGC, resort car hire, etc. ,
• to earn miles with some one hundred partners (Amex, Accor for example) by making purchases with brands recommended by Flying Blue members which offer travel, design, art and decoration-related items such as Galeries Lafayette, Zara, Adidas, iTunes, FNAC.com, Fauchon and Lavazza,
• to benefit from promotional awards regularly published on the site. 

*including North Africa and Israel

**For e.g., a Flying Blue Silver member with 35,000 status miles at the end of the year will be able to retain his Silver status the following year thanks to his 25,000 status miles. Moreover, he will begin the year with 10,000 status miles, corresponding to his 35,000 status miles from which the 25,000 status miles required to reach Silver are deducted. Previously, he would have had to reset his status miles account. This innovation will allow each customer to attain a higher status more quickly.

Using miles to travel to New York

For Ivory customers

• 3 Paris-New York round-trips in Voyageur class entitling customers to a Paris-Nice round-trip award ticket in Voyageur class.
• 4 Paris-New York round-trips in Voyageur class entitling customers to a Paris-Barcelona round-trip award ticket in Voyageur class.
• 7 Paris-New York round-trips in Voyageur class entitling customers to a Paris-New York round-trip award ticket in Voyageur class.

For Silver customers

• 2 Paris-New York round-trips in Voyageur class entitling customers to a Paris-Nice round-trip award ticket in Voyageur class.
• 3 Paris-New York round-trips in Voyageur class entitling customers to a Paris-Barcelona round-trip award ticket in Voyageur class.
• 5 Paris-New York round-trips in Voyageur class entitling customers to a Paris-New York round-trip award ticket in Voyageur class.

For Gold customers

• 2 Paris-New York round-trips in Voyageur class entitling customers to a Paris-Nice or Paris-Barcelona round-trip award ticket in Voyageur class.
• 4 Paris-New York round-trips in Voyageur class entitling customers to a Paris-New York round-trip award ticket in Voyageur class.

For Platinum customers

• 1 Paris-New York round-trip in Business class entitling customers to a Paris-Barcelona or Paris-Nice round-trip award ticket in Voyageur class.
• 2 Paris-New York round-trips in Business class entitling customers to a Paris-New York round-trip award ticket in Voyageur class.

A miles calculator is available on the site to calculate the number of award miles required for a specific flight.

Flying Blue in figures

• Europe’s leading frequent flyer programme with 21 million members in 2012
• 2/3 of members are international
• Miles are valid for life providing that customers travel once every twenty months or pay for their purchases with the Flying Blue American Express card
• Award tickets represent on average 4% of available capacity, i.e. 13 Airbus A380s per day.
• 31 airlines and over 100 non-airline partners.
• Four levels: Ivory, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

Flying Blue is the frequent flyer programme of Air France and KLM, Tarom, Kenya Airways, Air Europa and Air Calin.

This first joint long-haul order by Air France and KLM will be replacing in the medium term the aircraft with 200 / 350 seats currently present in the fleet and support the Group's growing operations.

The acquisitions are scaled to a size that can be financed through cash flow generated from Group operations.

Consistent with the provisional fleet plan, this order will result in the Group's operation of 73 next generation aircraft through 2024: 43 Airbus A350-900 and 30 Boeing 787-9. The first aircraft Boeing 787-9 order will enter into service with KLM in 2016 and the first Airbus A350-900 with Air France in 2018. Later, both airlines will operate both types of aircraft.

The selection of engines for the Boeing 787-9 will be made later. The Airbus A350-900 will be equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, the only engine provided for this aircraft by the manufacturer.

These new aircraft will reduce fuel consumption by over 15% and will give rise to a significant reduction in noise and gas emissions, confirming the Group's commitments in terms of environment and sustainable development. Air France KLM is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index since 2004 and also leader of the “Transport and leisure” sector.

Within the framework of this order, Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance, the Group’s aircraft maintenance department, is confirming its commitment to position itself as a key market player for the maintenance of these aircraft and their engines.

Following this approval, memoranda of understanding will be signed with Airbus, Boeing and Rolls Royce and the finalized contracts are expected before the end of the year.

“For its first joint order, the Air France KLM group made its selection after a detailed assessment showing all the performance characteristics of each aircraft, including their energy and environmental performance” declared Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, CEO of Air France KLM. Peter Hartman, president & CEO of KLM added: “Their integration into the fleet will enable the Group to continue to operate one of the youngest and most modern fleets in the world”.