Rumour has it Air France-KLM are considering changing their name as the company eyes up greater control of other airlines.
Formed by the merger of the French and Dutch national carriers in 2004, Air France-KLM consistently rank among the world’s biggest airlines. And it’s only looking to become bigger, with its majority stake in Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) set to be approved later this year.
Executives at the group say they’re looking to establish a more neutral brand identity as the company grows, similar to International Airlines Group (IAG), formed by the British Airways-Iberia merger in 2011. The IAG portfolio has since expanded to include Aer Lingus and Vueling. A spokesperson from Air France-KLM said:
It is perfectly logical to hold the discussion about a new name, given that we plan to add new brands to the Air France-KLM Group. After all, the current name only reflects our two historical brands.
‘The Blue Group’ is apparently emerging as the potential new name. Commentators have pointed out this could cause confusion due to similarities with US carrier JetBlue. Nevertheless, as the company increases its stake in SAS from 19.9% to 60.5%, some rebranding will be necessary. Furthermore, Air France-KLM have emerged as leading bidders for TAP Air Portugal alongside Lufthansa Group. Portuguese regulators are considering the options and are likely to make an announcement on the ownership of the airline in the second half of 2026.
With hubs in Amsterdam, Paris, Lisbon, and Copenhagen, if successful the mergers would give passengers unparalleled access to a global network as well as significant opportunity for points earning on a group-wide loyalty programme. Whether they choose ‘the Blue Group’ or another name, Air France-KLM look set to close in on IAG and Lufthansa for dominance in the European full-service market.
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