THE HAGUE--Air France-KLM is reportedly preparing for a possible name change as Scandinavian carrier SAS moves closer to joining the airline group. According to insiders cited by De Telegraaf, CEO Ben Smith has made a firm decision that the group should eventually operate under a new name that does not include either Air France or KLM.
Senior managers at KLM and within the wider group were reportedly informed that the expected SAS takeover could lead to the retirement of the current Air France-KLM Group name. The idea would be to create a broader holding-company identity, similar to International Airlines Group, which owns British Airways and Iberia.
Air France-KLM is seeking to acquire a majority stake in SAS, with approval expected in the second half of this year. The group is also interested in adding TAP Portugal, although Lufthansa is also competing for the Portuguese airline.
A spokesperson said it is logical for the group to discuss a new name as it prepares to add more airline brands. The spokesperson noted that the current name reflects only the group’s two original airlines, Air France and KLM, and said no final name has been selected.
Sources told De Telegraaf that some in Paris have referred to “the Blue Group” as a possible working title. The idea has reportedly received mixed reactions among senior managers, with some viewing it as a major step.
Air France and KLM merged in 2004. At the time, then-CEO Jean-Cyril Spinetta had also explored possible new names, including “French European Airlines.”
The reported name change could signal a broader shift in the group’s structure, with more decision-making centralized at the holding company in Paris while the individual airlines function more as operating carriers. Before the pandemic, KLM pushed to maintain autonomy, especially over financial and route-network decisions.
Last year, the Paris-based holding company expanded its executive board to include KLM’s Adriaan den Heijer as chief commercial officer and Oltion Carkaxhija as chief operational officer. In another sign of centralization, KLM subsidiary AirTrade was transferred and sold to the Paris holding company, according to KLM’s annual report.
AirTrade, which manages package trips for KLM Holidays and Transavia, was described by director Jeroen Martron as strategically valuable to the wider group. He said the transfer was a logical step as Air France-KLM reorganizes its activities, though it remains unclear whether AirTrade will eventually handle tour operations for Air France.
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