Transavia Names KLM Executive Paul Terstegge as Next CEO, Signalling Growth Push for French Low-Cost Affiliate

Transavia—Air France-KLM’s low-cost carrier with bases in Paris-Orly, Nantes and Lyon—has appointed Paul Terstegge as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 February 2026. The announcement, released late on 1 December, follows Marcel de Nooijer’s decision to step down after steering the airline through pandemic recovery and fleet renewal.

Terstegge, currently KLM’s EVP Inflight Services, brings a track record in customer-experience design and strategic partnerships. His mandate includes expanding Transavia France’s European network, integrating new A321neo aircraft and advancing the group’s sustainability roadmap, which targets 10 % sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.



For corporate travel buyers, the leadership change matters because Transavia increasingly handles intra-European capacity that feeds long-haul flights at Paris-Orly and Amsterdam-Schiphol. Under Terstegge, analysts expect a sharper focus on business-friendly ancillaries—such as flexible fare bundles and self-connect tools—which could influence point-to-point mobility budgets.

The move also reflects broader succession planning within the Air France-KLM Group as it prepares for a potential capital-structure revamp in 2026. Mobility professionals should monitor forthcoming winter-schedule updates, as Transavia weighs new routes from regional French airports to secondary business hubs in Germany and Scandinavia.

From a talent-mobility perspective, the appointment underscores the importance of leadership continuity in sustaining route reliability—a critical factor for assignees who rely on low-cost carriers for family visits and short-notice project trips.