KLM’s first Airbus A350-900 completed two test flights over the past week as the Dutch carrier moves closer to taking delivery of the aircraft later this month. The jet, which will be named The Night Watch, is the first of KLM’s new A350 fleet and is set to begin service on long-haul routes including Toronto, Montreal, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam, Nairobi and Zanzibar.
The aircraft’s recent test flying keeps it on track for entry into the fleet after final preparation work in Toulouse. KLM has positioned the A350 as a replacement and growth aircraft for its intercontinental network, with the type expected to take over a mix of North American and African services once it enters commercial operation. The carrier has not given a precise delivery date in its latest update, but the aircraft remains due later this month.