Quieter Airbus

The Airbus A321neo reduces the so-called noise footprint by 50 percent. This difference in sound experience is noticeable during both departure and landing. In addition, these aircraft emit more than 15 percent less CO₂ than the previous generation of aircraft. Transavia is replacing all Boeing 737s with the more modern Airbus. This will enable aviation to meet the target of 20% less noise pollution, so that Schiphol does not have to shrink.

Shrinkage Schiphol

The European Commission states that the reduction policy for Schiphol to 478,000 flights, of which 27,000 at night, proposed by the Dutch government, does not include all measures, such as fleet renewal and operational solutions. General and business aviation are even excluded. Important elements from the sector plan 'Cleaner, quieter, more economical' are missing from the policy. As a result, Schiphol is in danger of having to shrink unnecessarily. This will affect the travel needs of millions of Dutch people. Transavia is asking the government to acknowledge the efforts of the aviation sector.

The arrival of the Airbus in retro livery is a tribute to Transavia's 60th anniversary. The aircraft is expected to carry its first passengers this summer.

Even more A321neos

At Transavia, all Boeing 737s are making way for new Airbus aircraft. These aircraft are cleaner, quieter and more economical. The ninth Airbus A321neo is expected at Schiphol on 5 April. By the end of 2025, the Transavia fleet will consist of fourteen Airbus A321neos. At the same time, Boeings are being phased out.

In the summer of 2025, Transavia will receive a brand new Airbus A321neo in retro livery. This special aircraft is part of the celebration of the 60th anniversary and is a tribute to the rich history of Transavia.

The livery is inspired by the branding that was designed in 1966 by the Dutch designer Thijs Postma. He was the creator of the iconic green color and the large, black 'T' on the fuselage and tail. Later, the complete painting will be applied to the entire aircraft.

Fleet renewal

This aircraft not only honours the past, but also symbolises the future. The Airbus A321neo plays a key role in Transavia's fleet renewal. This aircraft is cleaner, quieter and more economical than the Boeing 737 generation that is being phased out.

Transavia received its eighth Airbus A321neo on Friday 28 February. This year, Transavia expects another six A321neos, including the aircraft in retro livery.

Time flies
Throughout the anniversary year, Transavia will celebrate this unique and meaningful milestone together with passengers, business partners and colleagues. At various moments, we will reflect on Transavia's rich history, while also paying ample attention to plans for the future.

Retro Airbus A321neo
In the summer of 2025, Transavia will receive a brand new Airbus A321neo in retro livery, as a tribute to its rich history . This livery is inspired by the branding designed by Dutch designer Thijs Postma in 1966. He was the creator of the iconic green colour and the large, black T on the fuselage and tail. It is Transavia's first, recognisable house style and can also be applied to the current, new Airbus. Transavia gained a lot of fame with this house style. This style still appeals to the imagination of many colleagues, passengers and business partners. The aircraft will have the interior of the new, modern Airbus.

An ode to our heritage with a look to the future
CEO Marcel de Nooijer states: “Celebrating our 60th anniversary is a moment to reflect on what we have achieved together. The arrival of a new Airbus in retro livery is our way of looking back with pride on what has brought us and where we are now. While at the same time looking ahead to a quieter future thanks to our fleet renewal.”

Illustration by Transavia Studios

One year later
This week marks one year since Transavia took delivery of its first Airbus. The arrival of the Airbus contributes to the objectives of the Sustainable Aviation Agreement and also produces less noise for residents of the airports. The new Airbus, including the chosen engine, reduces the so-called noise footprint by up to 50 percent.

Marcel de Nooijer, CEO Transavia: "At Transavia, we want to keep affordable flight holidays and family visits accessible to millions of Dutch people. We also consider it important to reduce noise pollution in the area around Schiphol. We are taking major steps in this direction. That is why we are investing in our fleet. This is part of the ten-point plan, with which we demonstrate that we can achieve the joint goal of 20% less noise. Without Schiphol having to shrink and with future prospects for the entire aviation sector."

Cabinet opts for shrinkage measure
Despite the progress and investments of the aviation sector, the government has opted for a shrinking measure. According to its own calculations, this will only result in a 15% reduction in noise. The government policy currently places all emphasis on reducing the number of flights, instead of actually tackling noise pollution. The government decision ignores the proven efforts of the sector and that has significant consequences for the travel needs of millions of Dutch people.

Transavia asks to support the efforts of the aviation sector. The ten-point plan of the Dutch aviation sector proves that reducing noise pollution is possible without drastic negative consequences.

Photo: Transavia

In this news item you will find a video with more information about the circular farewell of a phased-out Boeing 737-700 from Transavia.

Photo: Tobias Gudat

A rich history

The Boeing 737 has played an essential role in Transavia's success for over 50 years. On 17 May 1974, the first Boeing 737-200, with registration PH-TVC, arrived in Amsterdam from Seattle. This marked the beginning of a new chapter. By phasing out the Boeing 737, Transavia is saying goodbye to an iconic era and setting a course for a quieter and more economical future.

#ByePHXRY photo campaign

To honor the iconic Boeing for its years of service, Transavia is organizing a photo campaign. The airline invites everyone – from plane spotters to passengers – to share their best photo of the PH-XRY on Instagram with the hashtag #ByePHXRY. The first 100 participants who meet the campaign conditions will receive a very special souvenir: a real piece of the PH-XRY!

Photo: Jeffrey Schäfer

Photo: Tobias Gudat

Transavia will replace the entire Boeing fleet in the coming years. The airline understands the need for cleaner, quieter and more economical aviation, also to reduce the inconvenience experienced by residents living near airports.

Proven quieter

The Airbus A320 family has proven to be quieter than the older generation of aircraft. This is evident from research by the Netherlands Aerospace Center (NLR) and is also confirmed by the Schiphol Residents Contact Point (BAS), which keeps track of the number of reports about noise pollution around the airport. The BAS concludes, among other things, that fleet renewal can have a positive influence on the number of reports. And thus the nuisance experienced.

Transavia understands the need to reduce the nuisance experience. This summer, around a fifth of all the airline's night flights will be flown with an Airbus. By next year, more than half of Transavia's aircraft at Schiphol will be Airbus, which will further reduce CO2 emissions by more than 15 percent compared to the previous generation of aircraft.

Marcel de Nooijer, CEO Transavia. "We are not running away from our responsibility to fly cleaner, quieter and more economically. In four months we have already phased in four new aircraft. Airbus numbers five and six will follow before the summer. Seven and eight will arrive at the end of this year. The pace at which we are renewing our fleet through this billion-dollar investment is unprecedented."

Passengers

The arrival of the new aircraft brings, in addition to improvements for residents near airports, more comfort for passengers. The cabin has room for a maximum of 232 passengers, compared to 189 in the current Boeing 737-800. The wider cabin gives a feeling of extra space, while the larger luggage bins with improved access make cabin luggage easier to store. All seats also have USB C ports to charge mobile equipment.

At the end of 2021, Air France-KLM placed an order for 100 aircraft from the Airbus A320neo family - with the option to purchase an additional 60 aircraft. This order is intended to renew and expand the fleet of Transavia Netherlands, Transavia France and KLM. The order includes both Airbus A320neo and Airbus A321neo aircraft.

The new Component Support agreement ensures us of reliable long-term services with regard to repairable aircraft parts, such as wheels, brakes, computers, water boiler in the on-board kitchen, etc. This includes the delivery of the parts as well as logistics, handling and warranty. The Engine Support contract provides maintenance for the CFM LEAP 1-A engines of our Airbus fleet.

Cooperation

Similar agreements were signed by Transavia France and KLM, all new users of the A320neo family. This is the first time that we as operators have jointly negotiated maintenance contracts. This allows us to make better use of the knowledge and skills of other operators and service providers.

Gift

Although the agreements have only just been signed, the agreements were already operational from the day we received our first Airbus A321neo. This ceremony celebrated the milestone and long-term collaboration. We also received a special table as a gift, made from the Radome (nose part) of a Boeing 737.

The renewal of the fleet contributes to the objectives of the Sustainable Aviation Agreement. The new aircraft ensure, among other things, less noise for residents living near airports. The Airbus A320 family, including the selected engine, reduces the so-called noise footprint by up to 50 percent; a clear difference in sound experience during both take-off and approach. Furthermore, the new Airbuses ensure a more than 15 percent reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the previous generation of aircraft.

Pieter Wensveen, CFO Transavia, was officially handed over the new aircraft at Airbus in Hamburg. "The aviation sector faces an enormous challenge to fly cleaner, quieter and more economical. We are investing billions in this. The new aircraft are significantly quieter. The entire fleet will be renewed over the next seven years. But this is only possible if there remains perspective for aviation. We already have six Airbuses in the fleet this summer. This summer, a fifth of Transavia's night flights will be operated by the new, quieter Airbus. By the end of this year, more than half will be available next year All our fleet at Schiphol has been renewed and is therefore more than 50 percent quieter. That is also well better than the government standard."
 

Passengers

The arrival of the new aircraft brings passengers more comfort. The cabin has room for a maximum of 232 passengers, compared to 189 in the current Boeing 737-800. The wider cabin gives a feeling of extra space, while the larger luggage bins with improved access make hand luggage easier to stow. All seats also have USB C ports to charge mobile equipment.

At the end of 2021, Air France-KLM placed an order for 100 aircraft from the Airbus A320neo family - with the option to purchase an additional 60 aircraft. This order is intended to renew and expand the fleet of Transavia Netherlands, Transavia France and KLM. The order includes both Airbus A320neo and Airbus A321neo aircraft.

These first flights mark a new phase in Transavia's promise to fly cleaner, quieter and more economically. The passengers on the Airbus will be treated to something tasty on Friday. Transavia CEO Marcel de Nooijer, together with director Martijn Limburg of handler Viggo, performed the festive commissioning of the aircraft early on Friday morning.

The Airbus A321neo was welcomed at Schiphol two weeks ago. The aircraft uses at least 15 percent less fuel and therefore emits considerably less CO2 compared to the older generation of aircraft. Furthermore, the device reduces the so-called noise footprint by up to 50 percent. This means a clear difference in noise levels during both take-off and approach.
 

Comfortable

From January 5, Airbus passengers can look forward to a relaxing and comfortable journey on board this modern aircraft. The new aircraft has room for almost a quarter more passengers. This ensures that we can take more people to beautiful destinations with less disruption.

"The introduction of the Airbus A321neo marks a new chapter in Transavia's history. We are proud to offer our passengers an even better travel experience, while at the same time significantly increasing our sustainability efforts and contributing to less disruption to the environment ", said Marcel de Nooijer, CEO of Transavia Netherlands.

Transavia will receive the next five aircraft of the new type before the summer. The total fleet replacement will take approximately seven years.
 

Gong strike

On the occasion of the first commercial flight with the Airbus, Marcel de Nooijer and colleagues will open the trading day at stock exchange operator Euronext at Beursplein 5 on Friday, January 5 at 9 a.m. with a sound of the gong. The gong symbolically underlines the change in direction at the airline. Transavia is part of Transavia's parent company, Air France-KLM, listed in Amsterdam and Paris.

Photo 1 Airbus A321

Photo 2 Airbus A321

Photo 3 Airbus A321

Sustainability
With the fleet replacement, Transavia is responding to society's desire to fly more sustainably by reducing fuel use, CO2, nitrogen emissions and noise pollution. The Airbus A320neo family ensures a noise reduction of more than 50% compared to the previous generation of aircraft and reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 15%. This purchase, together with the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and other innovations, makes a substantial contribution to achieving the Paris climate goals.

Future
“In a challenging period when we are having a hard time due to Corona, it is important to continue to look ahead and work on our future. With this order, we at Transavia are making a great and major step in the field of sustainability. In this way, Transavia is responding to the desire to reduce noise at Schiphol, Rotterdam and Eindhoven. Passengers will experience the extra comfort that the new type offers. In addition, a fleet replacement of this size offers great new opportunities and challenges for our colleagues.

The fact that we are going to invest in fleet renewal now is important to achieve our sustainability goals in a few years. Waiting is not an option for us, we want and are moving forward.” CEO Transavia Netherlands Marcel de Nooijer.

Further details on engine selection and cabin equipment will be announced at a later date. The Airbus aircraft will be deployed from our home bases in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Eindhoven.