KLM’s first Airbus A350-900 completed its maiden test flight from Airbus’s Toulouse-Blagnac site in southern France on 4 September, moving the airline a step closer to introducing the type into scheduled service. The aircraft, registered F-WZNM for testing, spent about 90 minutes in the air before returning to Toulouse. After delivery, it is expected to enter the fleet as PH-ZNA and carry the name De Nachtwacht.
The flight formed part of the final acceptance phase before handover, following a rejected takeoff test the previous day. The aircraft is the first of KLM’s A350-900 fleet and forms part of the carrier’s long-haul renewal programme, which will gradually replace older widebody aircraft.
Delivery is expected in the coming weeks, with first commercial operations planned for 23 October on the Amsterdam-Toronto route. That schedule places the aircraft into service ahead of the winter season, giving KLM an early opportunity to integrate the type into its long-haul network.