KLM Royal Dutch Airlines’ first Airbus A321-252NX has officially joined the Netherlands fleet with a busy day of first flights scheduled on the roster.
The brand-new Airbus A321neo was readied for its inaugural flight early in the morning on September 16, 2024, at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) and took off at 07:15, according to flightradar.com.
Around 55 minutes later the fresh looking A321neo, registered PH-AXA, landed in Denmark at Copenhagen Airport (CPH) before returning to Amsterdam just under two hours later.
KLM’s A321neo then left for Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) and is currently waiting to return from Germany for Amsterdam after being delayed for over an hour.
Before the day is even finished the new workhorse will fly to Sweden’s Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) and finally return to Schiphol Airport at 23:00, although due to delays in Berlin this is likely to be later.
“The arrival of this new aircraft is an important step in the large-scale fleet renewal through which KLM is giving a new impetus to cleaner, quieter, and more fuel-efficient flying. The A321neo will fly to Copenhagen, Berlin, and Stockholm starting today. Later this year, Paris, Prague, and Vienna will be added to the destinations. KLM will add three more new A321neo aircraft to the fleet this year,” a spokesperson for KLM said.
First day at the office for our @Airbus A321neo 💼💙
— KLM (@KLM) September 16, 2024
She made her first flights with our passengers! To Copenhagen 🇩🇰, Berlin 🇩🇪 and Stockholm. 🇸🇪
Paris 🇫🇷, Prague 🇨🇿 and Vienna 🇦🇹 will soon be added to the list of destinations ✈️
This is an important step in the rigorous… pic.twitter.com/NpX8JFTCKa
On social media KLM joked that the Airbus A321neo was starting its “first day at the office” and wrote that aircraft “made her first flights with our passengers”.
Historic arrival for KLM
KLM welcomed its first Airbus A321neo with a water salute and a personalized escort on August 27, 2024, in Amsterdam.
A further three Airbus A321neo aircraft will arrive later this year as part of KLM’s fleet renewal to replace the A320.
In keeping with its 104-year tradition of giving its aircraft unique names, which in the past have included Royal Family members and aviation pioneers, KLM named all the first four aircraft.
With the theme ‘Butterflies’ emerging from discussions with KLM employees the names of the first four A321neo aircraft will be Swallowtail (Koninginnepage), Peach Blossom (Braamvlinder), Common Brimstone (Citroenvlinder) and Clouded Magpie (Porseleinvlinder).
KLM confirmed that PH-AXA will also soon fly to Prague, Paris and Vienna.