KLM's winter schedule will embrace a total of 163 destinations: 92 European and 71 intercontinental.

KLM's winter schedule will embrace a total of 163 destinations: 92 European and 71 intercontinental. Photo KLM

On commencement of the winter schedule (28 October 2022 through 25 March 2023), KLM’s network will embrace a total of 163 destinations: 92 European and 71 intercontinental. The new destinations taken up in the network are Nantes in France, Rovaniemi in Finland, Aarhus in Denmark and Katowice in Poland. This winter, KLM will also continue to operate its flights to Austin (Texas) which were introduced in the summer. In comparison with 2019, KLM will now be offering more seats on flights to North America.

Europe

KLM has added Nantes, Aarhus and Katowice to its network. From 29 October 2022, Nantes will be served twice daily and both Aarhus and Katowice daily. The European network now also includes Rovaniemi (Finland), to which KLM will fly once a week from 3 December through 25 March 2023.

Additionally, KLM will scale up the number of flights it operates to Teeside, Humberside, Cardiff, Southampton (UK) and Graz (Austria). Finally, Naples (Italy) and Split (Croatia) will both be served daily. While new this winter, these flights are a continuation of the summer schedule.

KLM’s network will embrace a total of 163 destinations: 92 European and 71 intercontinental. 

North America

In total, KLM will be serving 19 destinations in North America (Canada, US, Mexico) this winter, accounting for 11% more seats compared to 2019.

KLM will for example be flying to Los Angeles ten times a week this winter, representing three extra flights a week compared to last winter. Service to Austin, which launched in the summer, will continue. KLM will continue to serve the winter destination of Cancun which was introduced in 2021.

This winter, KLM’s new Premium Comfort Class will be available for booking to several destinations in the US and Canada. In this class, which combines elements of both Economy Class and World Business Class, customers will be able to experience KLM’s new service concept in a separate part of the cabin offering comfortable seats and plenty of legroom.

Caribbean and Suriname

KLM’s response to Schiphol’s request to limit the number of passengers boarding from Sept 17-19

Photo KLM

The Dutch national carrier KLM has issued the following statement on the continued disruption and capacity cuts at its main hub - Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. 

KLM is very disenchanted that Schiphol only indicated on Friday, 16 September that it would not be able to handle the number of passengers boarding in Amsterdam on Saturday 17, Sunday 18 and Monday, 19 September. The airport has requested KLM to reduce these passenger numbers. This request comes over and above the cancellations already made for September at the airport’s earlier request.

In order to continue to guarantee the safety of passengers and crew at the airport and in operations, KLM will therefore be forced to cancel 34 KLC and KLM flights to comply with Schiphol’s request for today (Saturday). These flights were all set to depart between 09:30 and 17:00 hours with a significant number of passengers boarding in Amsterdam. In order to still carry our passengers back from their destinations, these flights will be departing empty. This has been a difficult choice, but it is also the only way to comply with the airport’s request to limit the number of passengers boarding, reduce queues at Security, enable returning passengers to travel as expected and ease pressure on operations. We are still assessing which flights are eligible for cancellation on Sunday and Monday.

Photo KLM

Passenger number cap introduced at Amsterdam's Schipol as delays mount.

Amsterdam's Schipol Airport has introduced more flight restrictions as delays and disruption continue to mount at the international hub. Royal Schiphol Group NV has instigated an 18% reduction in passenger numbers per day, at least until October as it struggles to cope with demand. On average the airport will reduce passenger numbers by just over nine thousand each day. The maximum number will be 54,500 per day in September and 57,000 per day in October.

Like many airports in recent months, Schipol has found it difficult to recruit enough staff for various functions, in particular, security offices which is the cause of the latest cap on passenger numbers.  The news comes just a day after it was confirmed that chief executive Dick Benschop had resigned over the airport's poor performance over the last week or so. 

"This decision first and foremost is bad news for passengers and for airlines," says COO Hanne Buis of Royal Schiphol Group. "I am fully aware of that. Nevertheless, the decision taken is necessary with the safety of passengers and employees in mind. Everyone who works at Schiphol doing their utmost to ensure that each and every passenger journey is as pleasant as possible. I appreciate that. I am incredibly proud of that.” 

The airport's main customer, KLM issued a statement on the issue. 'Schiphol has again announced that it will be introducing further restrictions on the number of departing passengers until October 31. It’s disappointing to ascertain that Schiphol will again be adopting these measures at such short notice. The measures will have far-reaching consequences for our passengers, colleagues and the national and international reputation of Schiphol and therefore KLM.

KLM is currently assessing what the consequences of the new restrictions will be. Expectations are that there will be more clarity about this within a number of days. KLM will make every effort to ensure that passengers who have already booked tickets will in fact be able to travel. Passengers who would rather travel at a later date as a consequence of this situation will be able to rebook their flights at no extra cost.

We expect the situation at the airport to be resolved swiftly and effectively so that passengers and airlines know what they’re going to have to contend with – also in the longer term.'

Photo by Aron Marinelli on Unsplash

Schiphol | Search and find Amsterdam Airport Schiphol departures

The maximum passenger capacity will be 54,500 per day in September and 57,000 per day in October.

Maarten Stienen appointed as COO of KLM

Maarten Stienen started out as a management trainee at KLM. He went on to hold a series of operational posts in the Netherlands and elsewhere during his first eleven years with the company, among which vice president Baggage & Turnaround Services. He then became vice president of Industrial Relations & HR. Maarten Stienen spent two years as managing director of KLM Catering Services before transferring to Hub Operations in 2020. His successor will be appointed in due course.

The Supervisory Board will also nominate Maarten Stienen to the General Meeting of Shareholders for appointment to the Board of Management of KLM. For this purpose an extraordinary general meeting will be convened. The Works Council of KLM will be asked for advice on this nomination.

Marjan Rintel, President & CEO of KLM said: "I am glad we have managed to find an excellent candidate for the role of COO. Maarten Stienen has extensive experience in operations as well as other sectors. His appointment will strengthen our executive team in terms of insight as well as experienced leadership. I am very much looking forward to working with Maarten to bring calm and stability to the organisation together."

KLM and the Dutch Airline Pilots Association have reached an agreement in principle on a new collective labour agreement

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has confirmed it is happy with the agreement reached with VNV - the Dutch Airline Pilots Association regarding a new collective labour agreement (CLA).  The new agreement, starts 1 March 2022 through 1 March 2023, for pilots covered by the CLA for KLM cockpit crew. 

The airline says the deal 'will ensure calm and stability for the coming year and reflects KLM’s current circumstances.'  The airline and VNV will now finalise the protocol texts, which VNV will then present to their members’ council for approval.

KLM has ensured that the new CLA takes account of price developments in the Netherlands. A wage clause specifying a 2% increase effective 1 October 2022 and a further 2% effective 1 March 2023 has been agreed. This reflects agreements recently reached with the trade unions representing ground personnel.

We also reached an agreement with VNV on productivity and flexibility in the coming period.

The existing international commuting arrangement for pilots has been discontinued. Pilots who live outside the Netherlands will now pay for their flights when commuting to work.

KLM employees will receive one-off payment when KLM no longer has a credit facility with government guarantees. This payment acknowledges the concerted effort made by KLM staff in the face of recent challenges.

Despite KLM’s successful recovery, the future remains uncertain due to factors such as high inflation, rising costs, uncertainties surrounding coronavirus and scarcity in the job market. KLM must therefore continue to cut costs structurally. The negotiating parties agreed to return to the table if the situation so demands in the coming period.

KLM will fly to adventurous Finnish Lapland

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will operate direct service between Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Rovaniemi in northern Finland every Saturday from 3 December 2022 through 25 March 2023. KLM will deploy a Boeing 737-800 on this route, which can carry up to 186 passengers. Rovaniemi is KLM’s second destination in Finland after Helsinki. By adding Rovaniemi to its network, KLM will meet the growing demand for adventurous winter trips to Lapland.

Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland and gateway to winter leisure travel. Rovaniemi is the last major city as one travels north into the remote and sprawling wilderness of Lapland, which one can explore on snow scooters or by husky safari. There’s also plenty to do in Rovaniemi itself, which offers a wide array of shops as well as cosy cafes and restaurants. You can also visit the home of Santa Claus, who lives in Santa Park. 

Flight schedule

Weekly flights will be operated on Saturdays with a Boeing 737-800, equipped with 30 seats in Business Class, six seats in Economy Comfort and 150 seats in Economy Class. Flights will only be operated during the winter season from 3 December 2022 through 25 March 2023.

KL1213 departs from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on Saturdays at 12:25, arriving at Rovaniemi Airport at 16:20.

KL1214 departs from Rovaniemi Airport on Saturdays at 17:10, arriving at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol at 19:15.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines posted positive operating results for the fourth time in a row in the second quarter of 2022

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines posted positive operating results for the fourth time in a row in the second quarter of 2022. Profits came to €262 million, compared to a €185 million loss in the same quarter last year. In the first six months of 2022, the airline recorded positive operating results of €266 million on revenues amounting to €4.685 billion, a significant improvement due in part to the efforts of KLM employees. The figures show that customers are keen to fly with KLM again, both for business and for leisure.

Despite KLM’s strong results after the Covid-19 crisis, emotions remain mixed. Customers were greatly inconvenienced by major operational disruptions in May and June, two hectic and demanding months for our employees as well.

The sharp rise in passenger numbers, long queues at Schiphol security and shortages of KLM staff put heavy pressure on operations, especially in the months of May and June. It is a very unpleasant situation for both our customers and our employees. KLM was forced to cancel flights and impose a limit on ticket sales. The positive effects of these measures are becoming visible. Operations are manageable again, but unfortunately, we have not yet returned to the standard of service that customers have come to expect from us.

KLM President & CEO Marjan Rintel stated: "Despite the enormous operational challenges posed by the recovery of the airline industry, millions of customers once again chose to fly with KLM and Transavia over the past six months. I am very grateful to them for that. At the same time, however, our operations are struggling with queues at Schiphol’s security checks, labour shortages and heavy workloads. We are doing our best to come up with measures that will alleviate the pressure.

In my initial meetings with members of our organisation, I saw how KLM employees are working hard, day-in and day-out, to deliver the standard of quality that customers have come to expect from us. They are doing this under very difficult circumstances at Schiphol and other airports. I am proud of all of them for their dedication and commitment.

While the figures are good, we must keep a tight rein on structural costs. That is vital to KLM’s financial health and will enable us to continue investing in sustainability and our product for customers."

KLM and Thalys launch trial for Amsterdam-Brussels transfer passengers

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Thalys will today launch their previously announced partnership that will see KLM buying seats aboard the Thalys high-speed train for transfer passengers travelling between Schiphol and Brussels. This will allow KLM to operate one less flight between Amsterdam and Brussels every day. The aim of the venture is to increase the number of transfer passengers travelling by rail between Brussels and Schiphol. Almost all passengers on this route transfer to and from KLM flights at Schiphol

This cooperative venture is an important first step in KLM’s implementation of the Dutch government’s Action Plan for Rail and Air Services (Actieagenda Trein en Luchtvaart). This action plan was jointly released at the end of 2020 by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in consultation with Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, ProRail, KLM and NS Dutch Railways. The plan stipulates actions and measures ensuring that international rail travel becomes a logical alternative supplementing airline services on routes shorter than 700 kilometres. For some time now, KLM has offered transfer passengers the option of boarding a Thalys high-speed train instead of a flight on the Brussels-Schiphol leg of their journey (or vice versa). Before the Covid-19 pandemic, 20 to 25% of these passengers (some 36,000 customers) chose this option.  This trial is aimed at improving the customer experience.

Moreover, KLM is working with NS Dutch Railways and other European railway companies to explore the options of additional high-speed, comfortable rail services for transfer passengers to other destinations.

“

The new air-rail product is the first concrete result of the Action Plan for Rail and Air Services. We’re proud of this achievement. Together with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, ProRail and NS Dutch Railways, we’re striving to ensure a seamless customer journey, with better connections between rail and air travel.

Boet Kreiken – Executive Vice President Customer Experience KLM

„

KLM boss sends letter to customers

Marjan Rintel, President & CEO of KLM has sent a letter to the carrier's customers highlighting the measures the Dutch airline has taken to alleviate some of the disruption passengers have experienced in recent weeks. Rintel apologised for the chaos and assured passengers KLM will do better in future. 

The letter is in full below.....

If you have flown recently or are planning to do so in the coming weeks, you will have noticed that airlines and airports all over Europe were not sufficiently prepared to cope with rapidly increasing numbers of passengers. This has also impacted many KLM passengers, and I sincerely apologize to those of you who experienced a disruption or lost a suitcase when flying with KLM this summer. We simply must do better, and in addition to earlier actions, we have taken several steps to improve our performance:

• We reduced the number of flights swiftly to go back to the reliable service and quality you may expect from KLM

• We don’t sell all our available seats and therefore keep some seats available for passengers who have missed a flight or had their original flight cancelled. We apply the same policy to luggage if needed

• We have extended transfer times between flights, giving you more time to make your connecting flight at Schiphol Airport and reducing stress for you and our airport staff serving you

• At the special request of Schiphol Airport, we are actively monitoring and managing the total number of Dutch passengers boarding at Amsterdam to ease the rush at security and customs checks at peak hours

Delay and disruption mitigation measures introduced by KLM

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is making some changes to ensure that customers who book a flight with KLM get their summer holidays off to a good start, despite persistent operational challenges at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol due to the shortage of airport security staff. 

Every day until 28th August, KLM will cancel 10 to 20 return flights to European destinations. It has also instigated seat sales restrictions on many KLM and KLM Cityhopper flights to European destinations, which frees up space for customers who are rebooked from cancelled flights. 

Customers who can’t fly will be informed in a timely manner and rebooked onto a different flight. In most cases, this flight will depart on the same day or as close as possible to the original booking. 

In a major move, cargo will not longer be booked and loaded onto KLM Cityhopper flights, which should mean less work for ground staff and help to ensure on-time departures.  

KLM we will also close the belly hold compartment for loose packages and mail bags aboard flights bound for intercontinental destinations. This loose bulk freight will be placed in containers, which will be brought in via the apron, making them easier to load onto the aircraft. These moves will last until 29th October.

René de Groot steps down as Chief Operating Officer of KLM

René de Groot was appointed COO in November 2014 and began his first term as a member of KLM’s statutory Board of Managing Directors in April 2015. He was reappointed in 2019, with his second term originally due to end in 2023. In addition to his role as COO, De Groot carries responsibility for KLM’s Air Operator Certificate in relation to the Dutch Civil Aviation Authority. He will also resign from this position effective 15 July.

As a result of his departure, KLM’s Supervisory Board has initiated the procedure to find a successor. KLM hopes to be able to fill the vacancy at short notice. Safeguarding the responsibilities and tasks of the COO is assured within the organisation.  

    "Having first joined KLM in 1990, René has a long track record at KLM. He has contributed enormously to KLM, both in his role as a commercial pilot and later in management, and over the last eight years as COO and statutory Managing Director. We would like to thank him very much for his unswerving commitment and wish him all the very best in his new role."

Cees ‘t Hart - Chairman of the KLM Supervisory Board

      "After 32 fantastic years at KLM, I have decided to spread my wings and continue my career at British Airways as Chief Operating Officer. I realise that my departure comes at a turbulent time for KLM, but I leave the airline in the knowledge that the road to recovery has begun and that the organisation will be able to do so despite the continuing challenges. I thank KLM for all the opportunities I have been given and all my colleagues and partners for their confidence, cooperation and what I have been able to learn from them. That and all the fond memories I have will always stay with me in my career moving forward."

René de Groot, Chief Operating Officer KLM

KLM's Pieter Elbers receives royal decoration at farewell reception

Pieter Elbers receives royal decoration at farewell reception

His Majesty, King Willem-Alexander accorded KLM CEO Pieter Elbers the title of Commander in the Order of Orange-Nassau at his farewell reception, earlier this week,  because of his tireless efforts for KLM and the airline industry in the Netherlands. The royal decoration was presented to him by the Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Mark Harbers. This memorable event took place during Pieter Elbers’ farewell reception in one of KLM’s hangars at Schiphol-East.

Elbers received the decoration for his binding capacity and decisiveness. In the years following the crisis in 2008, he turned KLM into a financially healthy, vital and innovative airline of enormous national and international value thanks to its extensive network. In so doing, he has contributed positively towards making the Netherlands an attractive base for businesses considering establishing themselves on Dutch soil. And with KLM, he created employment opportunities both within and outside the airline industry. Although the pandemic hit the airline industry especially hard, Elbers ensured that KLM kept the world accessible for everyone. Air bridges were set up to transport huge volumes of medical relief supplies to the Netherlands and other parts of the world. He also ensured that hundreds of thousands of people could be repatriated. The decisiveness and meticulousness of recovery initiated by Elbers make him a much-loved CEO.

In the presence of hundreds of guests, the minister thanked Pieter for his tireless efforts and wished his successor Marjan Rintel all the very best.

Pieter Elbers joined KLM 30 years ago. He was appointed CEO in 2014. Marjan Rintel will take over the reins from him on 1 July 2022. As of that same date, KLM’s statutory Board of Managing Directors will – in addition to Marjan Rintel – consist of Erik Swelheim (Chief Financial Officer) and René de Groot (Chief Operating Officer). Elbers will start as CEO of the Indian airline IndiGo on 1 October.

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KLM repays remainder of loan to Dutch government

KLM repays the remainder of loan to the Dutch government

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will be repaying the final portion of €277 million of the loans secured from the Dutch government and the banks in 2020. KLM borrowed a total of €942 million from the credit facility of €3.4 billion. This repayment means that two years on, KLM will have redeemed all the portions it used of the loan package received to deal with the Covid-19 crisis and to safeguard its future.

Various factors including the departure of 6,000 KLM staff members, a sharp reduction in costs, the removal of travel restrictions and the rising demand for airline tickets made it possible for KLM to make two repayments earlier this year against the total loan amount of €942 million.

In three steps, the total amount has now been redeemed. KLM paid €311 million to the banks on 3 May and another €354 million on 3 June, paying off the entire sum in bank loans of €665 million. By now repaying the remaining €277 million, KLM has also redeemed the portion of the loan issued by the Dutch government.

KLM is incredibly grateful to the Dutch government and the banks for their support during the pandemic. By repaying its loans as quickly as possible, KLM shows that it takes its responsibilities seriously and that it keeps its promises to its financial stakeholders, government and society.

Pieter Elbers – President & CEO KLM Royal Dutch Airlines said "KLM colleagues battled their way through the COVID19-crisis in 2020 and 2021. The current operational situation at Schiphol is also demanding and again asks a great deal of our people and our customers. I’d like to sincerely thank everyone at KLM for their huge efforts. This last repayment is therefore also a welcome crowning result of everyone’s efforts so far and serves as encouragement for the entire KLM workforce in facing these difficult times."

Marjan Rintel - Upcoming KLM President & CEO commented: "I’m pleased with this important step taken by KLM. Moving forward, I can and will build upon this to achieve even better financial health for KLM in the future. "

KLM resumes flights as planned on Sunday

KLM resumes flights as planned on Sunday

KLM was able to resume flight operations on Sunday as planned. Since this morning, passengers have once again been able to travel to and via Amsterdam from European destinations. KLM expects to be able to operate scheduled flights for the rest of the day and does not expect to have to take any additional measures. However, congestion at Schiphol and the thunderstorms forecast for the end of the day, may lead to some delays or disruptions.  

KLM would like to stress that its primary concern is to fly passengers safely to their destinations. The first passengers to be stranded on Saturday have now departed to and from Schiphol and KLM is working hard to rebook other passengers who, due to these unforeseen circumstances, have been unable to reach their destinations. KLM is doing its utmost to get these passengers to their destinations as quickly as possible.

KLM would once again like to apologise for the situation that arose on Saturday, when KLM faced unforeseen and urgent circumstances that are beyond our control (unfavourable weather conditions and reduced runway capacity, due to runway maintenance by Schiphol), led us to take the decision at the end of the day to suspend passenger flights from European destinations to Amsterdam. We understand the impact this had on our passengers.

In response to the situation at Schiphol, KLM had already reduced its own capacity in advance of this weekend. However, unfavourable winds combined with runway maintenance led air traffic control at Schiphol to reduce capacity even further. This meant that far fewer aircraft were able to land in Amsterdam, or to take off. This led to a large number of KLM flights being delayed, or even cancelled on Saturday. The number of passengers who were unable to depart from Schiphol, due to these external factors, consequently increased sharply.

To ensure safe and workable operations at Schiphol, KLM was unfortunately compelled at the end of Saturday to take the decision not to fly any new passengers to Amsterdam from European stations. This decision was taken to ensure that as many stranded passengers as possible could depart from Schiphol on Saturday, enabling KLM to operate as many flights as possible according to schedule on Sunday.

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Update on KLM operations on Whit Monday weekend

At the end of Saturday afternoon, 4 June, KLM was regrettably compelled to decide that passengers at European destinations would no longer be allowed to board flights to Amsterdam. Although a substantial package of measures was taken before the weekend, KLM has faced unforeseen and urgent circumstances that are beyond its control. Due to unfavourable weather conditions and runway maintenance at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, many aircraft couldn’t land or take off in Amsterdam.

This means a large number of KLM flights on Saturday were delayed or even cancelled. The number of passengers who were unable to depart from Amsterdam due to these external factors has increased sharply.

To ensure safe and workable operations at Schiphol for passengers and crew, KLM took the far-reaching decision that no further passengers would be brought to Amsterdam. This decision was taken to ensure that as many stranded passengers as possible can depart from Schiphol on Saturday and that KLM can operate as many flights as possible on Sunday.

Rene de Groot - Chief Operating Officer said: "It’s incredibly unfortunate that on top of everything else today, we’re also dealing with reduced runway capacity at Schiphol as a result of unfavourable winds and runway maintenance. Despite intervening earlier to ensure workable operations this weekend, today has been another extremely difficult day for our passengers and crew. We are apologizing to our customers for the inconvenience and doing our utmost to ensure that we can return to workable operations as swiftly as possible.”

The decision to stop bringing passengers from European destinations to or via Amsterdam remained in force for the whole of Saturday. Looking at the current weather forecasts, KLM does not expect to continue stopping passengers flying from European destinations into Amsterdam on Sunday and expects to run the operation as planned. 

KLM offers its sincere apologies to passengers who were unable to travel to Amsterdam from certain European destinations, as well as those who were unable to transfer via Amsterdam to other final destinations.

We understand that this decision has great impact on passengers, particularly during the Whit Monday weekend. KLM would like to stress that it is doing its utmost to offer passengers alternative flights as quickly as possible.

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Update on government conditions attached to the KLM load package: 30% cut in costs

Update on government conditions attached to the KLM load package: 30% cut in costs

KLM was the subject of media attention due to a letter sent by the state agent to the Senate of the Dutch Parliament regarding conditions the government attached to the KLM loan package. KLM has published the following statement, which clarifies a number of points:

KLM would like to reiterate how grateful it is to the government for the support we received in 2020. We see it as our duty to repay the loans we received as soon as possible. KLM has utilised a total of € 942 million from the loan package, € 311 million of which has already been repaid. When KLM accepted state aid in 2020, it signed up to terms and conditions, which still remain in force.

One of the conditions the Dutch government attached to the loan package was that KLM should cut its controllable costs by 15%. KLM has more that met this demand, managing to reduce its controllable costs by 30% over the last year. This rapid cost reduction, combined with the drastically reduced NOW emergency job-retention scheme, made KLM one of the best performing airlines in Europe over the last three quarters.

Part of this  is due to the employment conditions-based contribution paid by almost all KLM employees. Under this arrangement, personnel contributed up to 20% of their salary, depending on their income bracket. Agreements were reached with the trade unions on this matter. All the collective labour agreements (CLA) meet the employment conditions-based contribution requirement. The CLA for cockpit crew ran until 1 March 2022, while the current CLAs for ground personnel and cabin crew run until the end of 2022. A new CLA for cockpit crew has been delayed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) report, which criticises the state-imposed terms and conditions. Discussions around the pilots' CLA will continue over the next few weeks.

KLM has also further developed its sustainability agenda in line with government conditions. Constructive dialogue has taken place with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management over the last few months and an implementation plan has been drawn up that answers the government's wish that KLM's efforts in this area should be easier to follow. KLM is on track regarding sustainability and operates every flight with a small percentage of sustainable aviation fuel. KLM has also committed to the Science Based Targets initiative that helps businesses comply with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

KLM is an international company employing approximately 25,000 people of many different nationalities. A small number (2.9% of the workforce) of the cockpit crew live outside the Netherlands and make use of KLM's commuting scheme. KLM, the Dutch Airline Pilots Association (VNV), and the FNV Cabin Crew and VNC Cabin Crew trade unions acknowledge that they must always act in accordance with existing legislation and regulations. KLM has established a workgroup with the three unions involved. Its aim is to find a solution as quickly as possible that is also acceptable to the unions.

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KLM unveils new cabin class: Premium Comfort

This week at the 2022 Dutch Open, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines presented its new Premium Comfort Class, an intermediate cabin offering more space, luxury, service options, comfort and privacy than Economy Class, at lower prices than World Business Class. The new Premium Comfort Class allows KLM to more closely meet the needs and wishes of leisure and business travellers.

Premium Comfort is an entirely new inflight class with its own cabin, offering a new type of seats as well as distinctive service and catering concepts. Depending on the aircraft type, the capacity of Premium Comfort Class will vary from 21 to 28 seats, which will be wider than standard seats, offering more legroom, a larger screen and a footrest. Premium Comfort seats can also recline further than Economy Class seats. The reconfiguration of aircraft cabins will be carried out by specialists at KLM Engineering & Maintenance at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

Boet Kreiken, executive vice president of KLM Customer Experience said: “We have great expectations for this new Premium Comfort Class, based on extensive market research. The new class will meet the wishes of business passengers as well as leisure travellers, strengthening KLM’s standing as a global network carrier offering an appealing and varied range: World Business Class, Premium Comfort and Economy Class. It also reaffirms our partnership with Delta Air Lines, Air France and Virgin Atlantic on North Atlantic routes, where we can now combine all products on all routes.”

Catering

Premium Comfort also has a distinctive catering concept. On intercontinental services, one or two hot meals will be served, depending on the duration of the flight. There will always be a choice of meat, fish or vegetarian dishes. After the meal, passengers will be offered coffee, tea, liqueur and ice cream. A variety of snacks and cocktails will also be served between meals, which will be largely selected from those that were previously popular in World Business Class.

Lightweight and reusable

The new seats in Premium Comfort Class were designed by Collins Aerospace together with specialists at KLM Customer Experience. Apart from their elegant design and comfort features, the seats are also lighter than previous designs. Similar care was taken in selecting catering materials for Premium Comfort. They are either reusable (special cutlery, bowls and plates made of lightweight polypropylene) and those that are not reusable are made of recycled PEF. All materials were carefully assessed in terms of circularity and weight, without detracting from aesthetic features.

Service

The Premium Comfort Class experience will start at the airport, where passengers will have more flexible baggage arrangements and SkyPriority privileges, including preferential check-in and boarding.

Booking

The first aircraft equipped with Premium Comfort Class will operate on routes to North America. It is anticipated that passengers will be able to book Premium Comfort to a growing range of destinations from the end of the July 2022.

 

 Help for Heroes.

Help for Heroes Charity helps to rebuild the lives of those with injuries and illnesses sustained while serving in the British Armed Forces. No matter when someone served, H4H give them the support they need to lead active, independent and fulfilling lives. They provide support to the whole family to help them all cope with the challenges they face. Long-term recovery is more than repairing damaged bodies and minds; it’s about rebuilding lives.

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KLM adds 16 new destinations in India through code sharing with IndiGo

The new agreement between KLM and IndiGo provides customers immediate access to the airlines’ respective networks. This constitutes a major expansion for KLM in India. KLM currently operates daily service to Delhi and five weekly flights to Mumbai. From 23 May, it will operate three weekly flights to Bangalore. The new codeshare agreement ensures that these flights seamlessly connect with IndiGo’s extensive network in India, including cities such as Hyderabad, Jaipur, Goa and Chennai, ensuring the passengers have access to key business centres as well as popular holiday destinations.

Pieter Elbers, president & CEO KLM: “We’re very pleased with this new agreement with IndiGo. Now that the world is reopening, our partnership with IndiGo will allow us to offer customers more business and leisure destinations in the booming and thriving Indian market. Thanks to these partner networks, we offer an increasing range of connections with the world. This agreement is an important step forward for both airlines on the way to further recovery. IndiGo is a successful airline with a modern fleet and, just like KLM, it has won many customer satisfaction awards.”

Good connections with India are of great importance to KLM. India has one of the world’s fastest growing economies. It is also one of the key trading partners of the EU and has long been an important trading partner for the Netherlands. The expansion of the number of KLM destinations in India offers many new opportunities and connections for customers who do business with India or who have established businesses there. Moreover, the easing of travel restrictions presents a growing range of holiday destinations outside Europe. The new agreement with IndiGo offers passengers all sorts of opportunities to explore the diverse natural and cultural wonders of India. With its expansive network in the United States, KLM offers a wider array of flight options to many people in India wishing to travel to the US, and vice versa.

IndiGo is amongst the fastest growing low-cost carriers in the world. IndiGo has a simple philosophy: offer fares that are affordable, flights that are on time, offering a courteous, hygienic, and hassle-free travel experience. With its fleet of 275+ aircraft, the airline is operating over 1,000 daily flights and connecting 70 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations.

KLM will operate direct flights to the following Indian destinations in the coming season:

Delhi: daily

Mumbai: daily (from 23 May)

Bangalore: three times weekly (from 23 May), four times weekly (from 21 June)

Preparing for the trip

KLM fully understands that planning a trip may still demand a lot of preparation from customers. It is of great importance to consult the very latest information on the applicable requirements at your destination. With the interactive “Where can I fly to?” overview, KLM lists the current travel requirements for all the destinations it serves, offering customers a convenient means of choosing their next destination.

With our Ready to Fly service, passengers can save time by having their Covid-19-related documentation checked from home or wherever they are staying. This enables passengers to get negative PCR tests, health screening forms, proof of vaccination and so on validated swiftly and easily ahead of their trip. This not only saves time, but also ensures peace of mind when they set off on their journey, because they can rest assured that they have all the required Covid-19 documentation. The Ready to Fly service is also available for travel to India.

Help for Heroes Charity helps to rebuild the lives of those with injuries and illnesses sustained while serving in the British Armed Forces. No matter when someone served, H4H give them the support they need to lead active, independent and fulfilling lives. They provide support to the whole family to help them all cope with the challenges they face. Long-term recovery is more than repairing damaged bodies and minds; it’s about rebuilding lives.

Use the voucher code MAY22FREE to get free delivery in May from Help for Heroes.

 Apply the code at the checkout for UK standard delivery. 

not applicable to international or next day delivery. 

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UK green aerospace company SATAVIA provides contrail prevention capability for KLM's Sustainable Flight Challenge

On Saturday 7th May, two special flights took off from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport: KLM flight KL0675 to Edmonton, Canada, and KLM Cityhopper flight KL1713 to Porto, Portugal. Taking place within SkyTeam's Sustainable Flight Challenge, the KLM flights incorporated a wide array of innovative sustainability measures. As part of this ground-breaking initiative, Cambridge-based green aerospace company SATAVIA provided contrail prevention capability to minimise aviation's non-CO2 climate impact.

Aircraft-generated condensation trails, or contrails, cause surface warming amounting to two-thirds of aviation's climate impact, almost double that of direct CO2 emissions from aircraft engines. Until recently, technical challenges made contrail prevention difficult or impossible, but SATAVIA's best-in-class atmospheric modelling now enables flight plan optimisation for contrail prevention.

"Our contrail platform DECISIONX:NETZERO supports smarter, greener aviation," said SATAVIA CEO, Dr Adam Durant. "By implementing small changes to a minority of flights, eco-conscious operators can eliminate the majority of their non-CO2 climate footprint with minimal impact on day-to-day operations."

KLM participating in the Sustainable Flight Challenge

Two very special KLM flights will take off from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol today, Saturday, 7 May. Flight KL0675 to Edmonton, Canada, and flight KL1713 to Porto, Portugal, have undergone the widest possible array of sustainability measures. Initiated by KLM employees, the Sustainable Flight Challenge will see sixteen SkyTeam Airline Alliance members competing with a view to sharing insight and experience on sustainability, thereby accelerating the drive towards greater sustainability throughout our industry.

The two most effective ways of reducing CO2 emissions are fleet renewal and the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). That is why the KLM flight to Edmonton and the KLM Cityhopper flight to Porto will be operated by the two most economical aircraft in their respective fleets, the Boeing 787-10 and Embraer 190, both of which will be powered by a fuel blend consisting of 39% SAF. In addition, a wide array of new weight-reduction measures were taken on board. World Business Class passengers were asked to choose their preferred meal in advance, for example, and AI modelling was used to predict inflight water requirements, ensuring that the precise volume was catered. Naturally, KLM has informed passengers that their flight has a special purpose, providing them with information on how they can travel more sustainable, for example by supporting the CO2ZERO compensation programme or by contributing to SAF.

Pilots worked with air traffic controllers to fly the most efficient route, avoiding the detours that flights often face. Loading was fully optimised to ensure the best centre of gravity, improving aerodynamics and generating fuel savings ranging from 1.5 to 2%. Cargo in the belly was stacked on lighter pallets and secured with lighter nets, and transport companies delivering cargo were asked to use vehicles powered by electricity or biodiesel. A total of more than 50 existing and new measures were taken aboard both flights, involving all KLM divisions as well as partners such as Edmonton Airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL) and General Electric. The impact of the latest measures will be evaluated to see whether they are worth implementing in the short term.

The Sustainable Flight Challenge was initiated by a group of enthusiastic KLM employees, who were inspired by the famous London-Melbourne Air Race of 1934, which aimed to expand global access to the world and connect people with one another. Long-distance flights are no longer a challenge to the air transport industry, but sustainability presents a new frontier. That is why the Sustainable Flight Challenge will focus on an everyday, commercial scheduled service.

René de Groot, Chief Operating Officer KLM:  "In 2019, KLM extended the hand of cooperation to the sector with its “Fly Responsibly” campaign, calling on fellow airlines to cooperate and share best practices to make flying more sustainable. Now the time has come for the next step and a more concrete challenge: Which airline can operate a longer and a shorter flight as sustainably as possible? The great thing about the Sustainable Flight Challenge is first and foremost the enthusiasm among staff throughout KLM in putting forward their ideas on how this can be achieved. Another positive aspect is that the participating airlines have agreed to share the lessons they have learned, and that our customers, as well as engine manufacturers, SAF producers and other partners, have been involved. This spirit of cooperation makes greater sustainability possible and feasible."

The performance of the participating airlines will be externally evaluated by a panel of six judges, headed by former Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende. They will decide which airline has performed best in four categories: impact, innovation, scalability and cooperation. The results will be released at the end of June. The knowledge generated during the Sustainable Flight Challenge will be shared among the participating SkyTeam partners.

Use the voucher code MAY22FREE to get free delivery in May from Help for Heroes.

 Apply the code at the checkout for UK standard delivery. 

not applicable to international or next day delivery.