Tag Archives: KLM

Air France-KLM announce their 2019 summer schedule with 58 new routes

For the 2019 summer season (March 31 to October 27, 2019), Air France-KLM is increasing capacity by 2% compared to the previous summer season¹and offering 58 new routes³. This growth is broken down as follows –

– +1.3% for long-haul passenger operations,

– +1.2% for medium and short-haul passenger operations,

– +9.3% for Transavia’s low-cost operations.

LONG-HAUL: +1.3%

On its long-haul network, Air France-KLM will operate 4 new routes³ –

– 2 destinations on departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle: Dallas (USA) and Quito (Ecuador) with Air France.

– 2 destinations on departure from Amsterdam-Schiphol – Boston and Las Vegas (USA) with KLM.

North America:

In the United States, Air France will inaugurate the Dallas/Fort Worth service with the completely redesigned Airbus A330 from March 31 to the end of the season with 5 weekly flights. KLM will launch a new service to Boston and Las Vegas, starting from March 31 and June 6 respectively. The company will also increase its flight frequencies to San Francisco as from July with an additional weekly flight (6 flights per week).

In Canada, Air France is adapting to demand by increasing its service to Toronto with 3 additional weekly flights operated by Boeing 777-200 equipped with the latest travel cabins (10 flights per week).

Central and South America and Caribbean:

In Brazil, since launching a new service to Fortaleza in May of last year, Air France and KLM confirm the popularity of this destination by respectively operating an additional frequency to Fortaleza. 3 weekly flights will thus connect Paris to Fortaleza and 4 weekly flights will connect Amsterdam to Fortaleza. Moreover, Joon will operate the service from France until June 26, after which the service will be entrusted to Air France.

In Columbia, KLM will increase service to Bogota and Cartagena with an additional flight (5 flights per week).

In Costa Rica, Air France will offer 3 weekly flights, i.e. 1 additional frequency.

In Ecuador, Air France will inaugurate the Paris – Quito route by Airbus A340 with 3 weekly flights. Operated by Joon to begin with, the service will be resumed by Air France as of June 26.

In Suriname, KLM will add a frequency to Paramaribo as from July 1, increasing its capacity to 5 flights per week.

In the Caribbean, Air France will gradually resume its service to St Martin and increase its capacity with one additional weekly flight (3 fights per week). KLM will support this dynamic by introducing an additional frequency on the circle flights between St Martin and Curaçao (3 flights per week) as from July 5, 2019.

In Peru, Air France will operate an additional weekly flight to Lima, representing 7 flights per week.

In Panama, Air France customers will also benefit from an additional weekly flight between Paris and Panama (7 flights per week).

Asia and the Middle East:

In Japan, the Air France-KLM group is significantly increasing its service to Tokyo – 2 additional flights to Tokyo-Haneda on departure from Paris with Air France (14 weekly flights) and 3 additional flights to Tokyo-Narita on departure from Amsterdam with KLM (10 weekly flights). With these increased frequencies, the group is increasing capacity by +12% to Japan.

In China: KLM supports this dynamic in Asia with an additional weekly flight to Shanghai (12 weekly flights).

In India, Air France customers will enjoy a new travel experience on board the Airbus A330 to Bangalore and Delhi thanks to the new cabins in Business (36 seats), Premium Economy (21 seats) and Economy (167 seats). 15 aircraft will be completely redesigned by 2020.

Africa and the Indian Ocean:

In Kenya, Air France will offer 2 additional weekly flights to Nairobi, representing 5 weekly flights. The route will be operated by the redesigned Airbus A330.

In Côte d’Ivoire, customers will enjoy 3 additional frequencies to Abidjan (17 weekly flights).

MEDIUM AND SHORT-HAUL: +1.2%

On its medium and short-haul network, the group is expanding its offer of destinations and connections with 26 new routes².

Throughout the 2019 summer season, the Air France-KLM group will offer 7 new routes² on departure from the main hubs and regions:

– On departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle with Air France: Belgrade (Serbia), Tbilissi (Georgia) and Lorient (France) as from March 31.

– On departure from Amsterdam-Schiphol with KLM: Wroclaw (Poland) as from May 6 and Naples (Italy) as from April 21.

– On departure from the French regions with Air France HOP:

o On departure from Lyon – Lorient (France),

o On departure from Brest – Amsterdam (Netherlands),

During the peak summer period, the Air France-KLM group will offer 19 new routes²:

– On departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle – Heraklion (Crete, Greece), Olbia (Sardinia, Italy), Palermo (Sicily, Italy) and Split (Croatia) with Air France.

– On departure from the French regions with Air France HOP:

o On departure from Bordeaux – Athens (Greece),

o On departure from Toulouse – Copenhagen (Denmark) and Minorca (Spain),

o On departure from Marseille – Heraklion (Greece) and La Rochelle (France),

o On departure from Brest – Bastia (France) and Nice (France),

o On departure from Caen – Calvi (France),

o On departure from Nice – La Rochelle (France) and Pau (France),

o On departure from Rouen – Figari (France),

o On departure from Nantes – Toulon (France),

o On departure from Metz – Figari (France),

o On departure from Perpignan – Strasbourg (France),

o On departure from Rennes – Calvi (France).

TRANSAVIA: +9.3%

Transavia will develop its network from all its bases in France (Orly, Lyon and Nantes) and the Netherlands (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Eindhoven) with 28 new routes³ –

– From Eindhoven – Krakow (Poland) in continuation of the winter season and Zakynthos (Greece).

– From Rotterdam – Nador (Morocco) and Lanzarote (Spain) in continuation of the winter season, Nice (France), Brindisi (Italy), Tangiers (Morocco), Corfu (Greece), Kos (Greece) and Zadar (Croatia).

– From Amsterdam – Beirut (Lebanon) in continuation of the winter season.

– From Groningen – Tenerife (Spain) in continuation of the winter season.

– From Paris-Orly: Extension of service to Tenerife (Spain) in continuation of the winter season, Brindisi (Italy), Nador (Morocco), Minorca (Spain), Kos (Greece), Rhodes (Greece) and Zakynthos (Greece).

– From Nantes – Tel Aviv (Israel) in continuation of the winter season, Budapest (Hungary), Mykonos (Greece), Santorini (Greece), Palermo (Italy), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Tunis (Tunisia).

– From Lyon – Beirut (Lebanon) and Casablanca (Morocco).

On departure from the Netherlands, the Group’s low-cost company will increase its capacity by 4.5%.

On departure from France, total growth in capacity will amount to 16%.

CABINS HARMONIZATION AND SIMPLIFICATION FOR AN ENHANCED TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

The Air France-KLM group is harmonizing the distribution of its cabins on its long-haul network in order to guarantee its customers a clearer, simpler and more consistent travel experience.

In this way, the Air France La Première cabin will be available at least once a day to San Francisco, New York, Washington, Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Abidjan, Dubai, Beirut, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo-Haneda and Singapore. The company is standardizing its routes by mainly assigning its Airbus A380s to the United States.

Finally, Air France is harmonizing its products and services by constantly operating the same type of aircraft to a destination such as Tokyo-Haneda, which is operated daily by Boeing 777-200, Santiago de Chile by Boeing 777-300 and Toronto by Boeing 777-300.

KLM will be offering its new World Business Class on all its long-haul destinations. Its new Economy cabin will also be available on all Boeing 777, 787 and Airbus A330 aircraft.

AN ENHANCED AND MODERNIZED FLEET

Air France will welcome its first Airbus A350 (324 seats) in September 2019. Another 6 aircraft will be added to the fleet by the end of 2020. In addition, Air France will receive two Dreamliner 787-9 for the summer season, to operate a total fleet of 9 Dreamliner 787-9.

On July 1, KLM will launch the latest version of the Dreamliner: the Boeing 787-10 (344 seats). This latest generation aircraft is in addition to the company’s 13 Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Another 7 Boeing 787-10 aircraft will be added to the fleet by the end of 2020.

Transavia will fly its customers on board its 79 Boeing 737s throughout the 2019 summer season.

STRENGTHENED AGREEMENTS BETWEEN AIR FRANCE, KLM AND VIRGIN ATLANTIC

On March 4, Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic announced their first code-share agreement, offering their respective customers new travel options to and from North America and more opportunities to earn miles with their frequent flyer programmes. Thanks to this partnership, customers of the three airlines can create their own tailor-made transatlantic trip by choosing from the many flight options operated by Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Delta.

As a result, Air France and KLM customers will have access to a wide choice of additional flights with 24 new routes available between the United Kingdom and North America via London-Heathrow and Manchester. They will have access to more frequent flights on certain routes such as Amsterdam – Miami via London-Heathrow, as well as additional options between Paris and New York via Manchester.

¹Capacity measured in available seat-km compared to the 2018 summer season forecasts.

²Compared to the 2018 summer season.

³Air traffic route – service connecting an airport to another.

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About Air France-KLM

Air France-KLM is the leading group in terms of international traffic on departure from Europe. It offers its customers access to a network covering 314 destinations in 116 countries thanks to Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Transavia. With a fleet of 548 aircraft in operation and 101.4 million passengers carried in 2018, Air France-KLM operates up to 2,300 daily flights, mainly from its hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol.

Its Flying Blue frequent flyer program is one of the leaders in Europe with over 15 million members.

Together with its partners Delta Air Lines and Alitalia, Air France-KLM operates the largest transatlantic joint venture with more than 275 daily flights.

The Group also offers cargo transport and aeronautical maintenance solutions.

Air France-KLM is a member of the SkyTeam alliance which has 19 member airlines, offering customers access to a global network of over 14,500 daily flights to more than 1,150 destinations in more than 175 countries.

KLM to delay the retirement of its Boeing 747-400 fleet

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines currently operates a dozen Boeing 747-400 Jumbos.

The carrier is due to receive seven new Airbus A350-900 aircraft from the Air France-KLM order for 25 of the type. The A350s and new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners will replace the final 747s in the fleet.

However, according to Air Journal, KLM has delayed the delivery of the new A350s by a year. KLM will now introduce the A350 in 2021 with deliveries through 2023.

Therefore the majestic KLM 747s are not likely to be gone until the new A350s are entirely delivered and in service.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by KLM and individual photographers): KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 747-406 PH-BFV (msn 28460) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 941271.

KLM aircraft slide show:

KLM launches its new World Business Class cabin in Airbus A330-300 PH-AKA

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines’ first Airbus A330-300 to be fitted with the new World Business Class cabin interior made its first flight over the weekend to Havana (KL723). The cabin refit for the remaining 20% of KLM’s fleet will be completed by the end of 2018. In addition to the new design, there will be full-flat seats and a new inflight entertainment system for all World Business Class passengers to enjoy.

The first A330-300 to be fitted with the new World Business Class cabin is registration number PH-AKA (below).

Above Copyright Photo: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Airbus A330-303 PH-AKA (msn 1287) IAD (Brian McDonough). Image: 908520.

Refits complete in 2018

The refurbishment of the business class cabins in the remaining four A330-300s has already commenced; the last is expected to be completed in July 2018. KLM’s eight A330-200s will follow. Their refits are expected to be completed in October 2018.

The World Business Class interiors of all the Boeings 747,777-200 and 777-300 have already undergone this transformation. KLM’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners already have the new-style World Business Class cabins.

New World Business Class

Renowned Dutch designer, Hella Jongerius, designed the new seats and cabin interior. In addition, KLM’s new World Business Class also contains:

Full-flat seats: 180 degrees reclinable and 206 cm long
In-seat power and improved privacy
Brand-new personal entertainment system with an 18” screen, HD quality films and a touchscreen navigation menu in 12 languages

Photos: KLM.

KLM:

KLM and Air France introduce new ticket options in Economy Class for flights between Europe and North America

KLM Royal Durch Airlines has issued this statement:

Passengers can choose from a wide range of ticket options. As part of our aim to create a customised offer at the best price, KLM and Air France are introducing new fares for flights between Europe and USA and/or Canada. As of December 7, 2017, we will offer our Economy Class customers 3 different ticket options. After selecting their preferred fare they can choose to add various extra services.

Delta Air Lines and Alitalia, the joint venture partners of KLM and Air France, will also announce the introduction of similar fare structure across the Atlantic.

Different ticket options

The three new ticket options, named ‘Light’, ‘Standard’ and ‘Standard +’, have distinct features that will fit the needs of any Economy Class passenger between Europe and USA and/or Canada. Shown in one concise overview, customers can see which services and conditions come with each option, making it easy to compare.

‘Light’ is a good option for passengers travelling with hand luggage only
‘Standard’ is the best choice for those who do prefer to bring check-in baggage
With ‘Standard +’, passengers can check in their luggage and get the flexibility to cancel or change their ticket at a fee.

No matter which ticket option one chooses; snacks, meals, beverages and inflight entertainment on board are always included.

Creating a customised journeyWith the new ticket options, we can offer KLM and Air France passengers customised fares at the best price. After choosing a ticket option, customers can easily add various extra services.For example, they can select an extra comfortable seat type or order an à la carte meal – immediately when booking or later.

Flying Blue privileges

Flying Blue Elite – and Elite Plus members keep the advantages of their tier level. They can always bring one extra piece of check-in baggage for free. So, when choosing the ‘Light’ fare, they may still check in one bag at no extra cost. With ‘Standard’ or ‘Standard +’, they can bring a piece of check-in baggage on top of the one included in these ticket options.

Ivory members will receive EUR 10 off the price of their first piece of paid check-in baggage, if purchased online up to 24 hours before departure.

Copyright Photo: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner PH-BHA (msn 36113) YYZ (TMK Photography). Image: 937278.

KLM says goodbye to the last Fokker

KLM Cityhopper, as planned, operated its last revenue flight of a Fokker 70. The pictured F.28 Mk. 0070 PH-KZU, decorated in the special Fokker tribute livery, operated flight KL1070 from London (Heathrow) to the Amsterdam base. The flight blocked in at 8:35 pm (2035) local time.

Top Copyright Photo: KLM Cityhopper Fokker F.28 Mk. 0070 (Fokker 70) PH-KZU (msn 11543) (Fokker – Anthony Fokker – Farewell) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 938128.

KLM issued this retirement story by Charley Valette on its KLM Blog:

Fokker aircraft were a common sight at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol for many decade. Although they have become increasingly scarce in recent times, this did not diminish the passion for this reliable Dutch product. Aviation buffs and plane spotter in the Netherlands all know that Fokker’s days in Dutch service will draw to a close on 28 October 2017.

On that date, KLM Cityhopper will bid farewell to its last Fokkers. The past months have seen many people booking tickets for a final flight aboard a Fokker. There were also lots of cameras along the perimeter fences, especially when one of the last Fokker 70s was specially decorated for the farewell. The accompanying text says it all: “Thank You, Fokker”.

Perfect design for commuter jets

Many readers will be familiar with the post-war Fokkers: the F27, F28, F50, F100 and F70. All of these excellent, reliable, economic aircraft were very modern in their day, but the Fokker 70 was the best of the bunch. Although Fokker only built 48 of these aircraft before it went bankrupt, the F70 paved the way towards a perfect design formula for commuter jets.

In keeping with history, KLM Cityhopper chose to operate its last Fokker flight out of the London, with an English captain at the controls. When flight KL1070 from London Heathrow shuts down its Rolls-Royce Tay engines at Schiphol, the Fokker era at KLM will come to an end. However, the special bond between KLM and Fokker will live on in memory. Looking back on this era, many of the events can be captured as “what if” questions.

Fokker

What if KLM had not been allowed to operate flights to the United Kingdom with Fokkers?

KLM ordered its first Fokker aircraft in 1920, marking the start of their shared history, in which two great companies inspired each other to take great steps. However, the budding relationship between KLM and Fokker might have ended right there. In fact, Fokker/KLM administrator Albert Plesman, who later became KLM’s first CEO, included a very explicit resolutive condition in the procurement contract for the first Fokkers ordered by KLM.

Schiphol Fokker

Plesman did so just in case the British government would withhold permission to operate flights to the UK with Fokkers, which were seen as a mortal enemy by the British immediately after the First World War, because Germany’s dominant fleet of Fokker fighter planes were known to have prolonged the war.

Fokker Oldie

Eventually, KLM was permitted to fly Fokkers to England. To make this momentous milestone all the more special, the first scheduled Fokker service to Croydon near London on 14 April 1921 was operated by a British pilot.

Another question: what if there had been no Second World War and Fokker had not been spurred on by Plesman’s claims that the company was incapable of producing a modern aircraft?

Would the aircraft manufacturer have completed the development of both the F24 and the “flying wing” Project 180, the first truly intercontinental airliner? Would KLM have operated flights to many destinations with large, aluminium Fokker aircraft for decades?

And what if the dollar exchange rate hadn’t declined sharply against the Deutschmark and Dutch guilder in the 1990s?

Could Fokker have avoided bankruptcy and profited from the recovering airline market? Would it have developed a new generation of aircraft? And would those aircraft have worn KLM colours?

Fokker

Although these questions will never be conclusively answered, many things did gradually become clear for the editorial team creating the book “Dutch at Heart”, which celebrates KLM’s Fokker fleet. Based on the stories of KLM and Fokker staff as well as the curator, the bond between these two great Dutch companies is recounted from the day of establishment to the final weeks. You can order the book here: www.Fokker-70.nl.

3 = 1

At the end of October, Fokker aircraft will be leaving the Dutch commercial air transport scene for good. That leaves only two members of the Dutch Aviation Trinity – KLM, Fokker and Schiphol – as well as the memories of an era in which Fokker played a leading role in our industry. These memories are captured in the Fokker monument, symbolically uniting KLM, Fokker and Schiphol, which KLM Cityhopper will unveil at Schiphol Oost on 29 October 2017.

Fokker 70

KLM announces the last Fokker 70 flights

KLM issued this statement:

KLM wants to reflect in appropriate style on the end of the 97-year partnership between KLM and Fokker. The phasing out of the Fokker 70 at KLM Cityhopper marks the end of an extraordinary period for the Dutch airline industry.

So many KLM fans would like to be aboard one of the final Fokker flights on October 28, 2017, that we are publishing the flight schedule below.

DUS – Düsseldorf KL1862 arrival Amsterdam 19.05 hrs*

NWI- Norwich KL1512 arrival Amsterdam 19.15 hrs*

HAJ – Hannover KL1912 arrival Amsterdam 19.15 hrs*

BRU – Brussel KL1732 arrival Amsterdam 19.15 hrs*

LUX – Luxembourg KL1746 arrival Amsterdam 19.35 hrs*

LHR – London KL1070 arrival Amsterdam 20.30 hrs *

*Local time

Especially for fans

That the very last commercial Fokker flight will depart from London is no coincidence. Soon after the first passenger flights took place on May 17, 1920, two Fokkers joined the KLM fleet as the first passenger aircraft to be owned by KLM: these Fokker IIs bore the registration numbers H-NABC and H-NABD. The first commercial flight with a Fokker II was on September 15, 1920 to London. The arrival of the Fokker 70 from London on October 28, 2017 will complete the circle.

Modernizing the fleet

KLM Cityhopper began replacing its Fokker fleet with the modern E-Jet, Embraer 190 and Embraer 175 in 2008. These new aircraft are facilitating further expansion of the existing network, higher flight frequencies, and lower costs. This wide-ranging modernisation means KLM Cityhopper can contribute to a more efficient and environmentally friendly operation in which quality and passenger comfort are top priorities.

Copyright Photo: KLM Cityhopper Fokker F.28 Mk. 0070 (Fokker 70) PH-KZU (msn 11543) (Fokker – Anthony Fokker – Farewell) AMS (Antony J. Best). Image: 938597.

KLM Cityhopper pays homage to Anthony Fokker

KLM issued this statement and photos:

The farewell livery is a symbol of thanks to everyone involved in the Fokker’s operation and to all who made a contribution to this bit of Dutch heritage. With the help of this livery, KLM Cityhopper is celebrating the 97-year partnership between KLM and Fokker: KLM is a staunch Dutch company and aviation pioneer, and Fokker is the Dutch manufacturer of the aircraft with which KLM made its first flights. The livery was applied in Hangar 73 at Schiphol-Oost, where the Fokker company used to deliver its aircraft to a variety of airlines.

Right now, there are nine Fokker 70s still in KLM Cityhopper’s fleet. When the Fokker 70 is phased out, the last aircraft of Dutch origin will disappear from Dutch soil. It will bring a special period in aviation history to an end.

KLM Cityhopper announced its fleets renewal programme in 2008. In recent years, the Fokker 50 and 100 have been phased out and replaced by Embraer 175s and 190s. By acquiring this new aircraft type, KLM and KLM Cityhopper can once again contribute to more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly operations. Quality and comfort for passengers are extremely important in that process.

KLM Cityhopper is Europe’s largest regional carrier. Each year, it carries out more than 105,000 flights from Amsterdam Schiphol to sixty-seven European destinations. No later than 2018, KLM Cityhopper’s entire fleet will consist of thirty Embraer 190 and seventeen Embraer 175 aircraft. This will give KLM the single-largest Embraer fleet in Europe.

Photos: KLM.

Air France-KLM announce their 2017 summer schedule

For the 2017 summer season (from 26 March to 28 October 2017), Air France-KLM is continuing its growth by launching 53 new routes. The group is increasing capacity by 2.9% compared to the previous summer season*, with growth driven by the long-haul passenger network (+ 2%), the medium and short-haul passenger network (+ 2.7%) and Transavia’s low-cost activity (+ 10.2%).

53 new routes**

On its long-haul network, Air France-KLM is operating 9 new routes**:

3 destinations on departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle operated by Air France: Accra (Ghana), Cancun (Mexico) and Cape Town (South Africa).
6 destinations on departure from Amsterdam-Schiphol operated by KLM: Cartagena (Colombia), Freetown (Sierra Leone), Minneapolis (United States), Monrovia (Liberia), Tehran (Iran) and Windhoek (Namibia).

On its medium and short-haul network, the group will operate 25 new routes**:

5 destinations on departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle operated by Air France: Agadir and Marrakech (Morocco), Milan-Malpensa (Italy), Palma de Mallorca (Spain) and Porto (Portugal).
10 destinations on departure from Amsterdam-Schiphol operated by KLM: Cagliari and Catania (Italy), Dublin (Ireland), Milan-Malpensa (Italy), Gdansk (Poland), Graz (Austria), London-City Airport (UK), Malaga (Spain), Porto (Portugal) and Split (Croatia).
10 destinations on departure from the French regions operated by HOP! Air France:
On departure from Marseille: Athens (Greece), Ibiza (Spain) and Stockholm (Sweden);
On departure from Nice: Athens (Greece) and Tel Aviv (Israel);
On departure from Bordeaux: Copenhagen (Denmark) and Frankfurt (Germany);
On departure from Toulouse: Athens (Greece) and Malta;
On departure from Montpellier and Castres: Ibiza (Spain).

Finally, Transavia is continuing its development by launching 19 new routes**:

10 destinations on departure from Amsterdam-Schiphol: Almeria (Spain), Belgrade (Serbia), Helsinki (Finland), Katowice (Poland), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Munich (Germany), Reus (Spain), Sofia (Bulgaria), Tirana (Albania) and Zurich (Switzerland).
5 destinations on departure from Rotterdam: Bergerac (France), Pisa (Italy), Pula (Croatia), Valencia (Spain) and Venice (Italy).
1 destination on departure from Eindhoven: Stockholm (Sweden).
3 destinations on departure from Paris-Orly: Palma de Mallorca (Spain), Tangiers (Morocco) and Tivat (Montenegro).

Continued improvement of the fleet and services

This summer, the fleet modernization and the improvement of the group’s products and services are continuing with the arrival of 4 new Boeing 787 and the deployment of the new long-haul cabins on board 4 Boeing 777.

Copyright Photo Above: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner PH-BHC (msn 38760) AMS (Javier Rodriguez). Image: 932928.

KLM Aircraft Slide Show:

At the end of the 2017 summer season, Air France-KLM will have a total of 13 Boeing 787 in its fleet:

10 aircraft operated by KLM will fly to 18 destinations, partially or totally operated by the airline: Cape Town (South Africa), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto (Canada), Chengdu, Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Xiamen (China), Bogota, Cartagena (Colombia), Atlanta, New York, Salt Lake City, San Francisco (United States), Delhi (India) and Osaka (Japan).
3 aircraft operated by Air France will fly to 4 long-haul destinations: Cairo (Egypt), Montreal (Canada) and Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) as a continuation of the flight to Bamako (Mali) as from 9 October 2017.

At the end of the 2017 summer season, KLM’s entire fleet of Boeing 747, Boeing 777 and Boeing 787, or 53 aircraft, will be equipped with the latest World Business Class cabins.

By the end of the summer season, Air France will offer 44 Boeing 777 equipped with its latest travel cabins on its long-haul network; 19 Boeing 777-300 and 25 Boeing 777-200, or the entire Boeing 777-200 fleet, as well as 3 Boeing 787 aircraft.

Long-haul: + 2%

North America: increased capacity to the United States and Mexico

On March 27, 2017, KLM will launch the Amsterdam-Schiphol – Minneapolis/St. Paul (United States) route, the largest cities in Minnesota. The route will be operated three times a week, in addition to a daily flight operated by Air France on departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle and three daily flights operated by Delta between Amsterdam-Schiphol and Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Air France Aircraft Slide Show:

Air France is reinforcing the Paris-Charles de Gaulle – New York-JFK route by operating a second Airbus A380 on a daily basis. In total, Air France-KLM, together with Alitalia and Delta Air Lines, will offer 77 weekly services on departure from Paris and Amsterdam to New York-JFK as part of the vast transatlantic joint venture.

In Mexico, Air France will continue to serve Cancun with 3 weekly flights from Paris-Charles de Gaulle, a route previously operated only in winter.

Central and South America and the Caribbean: strong growth to Cuba

In Cuba, Air France-KLM is accompanying the market’s strong growth by offering 18 flights a week to Havana; six additional flights on departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle (11 weekly frequencies operated by Air France) and Amsterdam-Schiphol (7 weekly frequencies operated by KLM).

In Colombia, KLM is suspending services to Cali and will offer Cartagena as a new destination from Amsterdam-Schiphol, as a continuation of the Amsterdam-Schiphol – Bogota flight.

KLM will continue to serve Saint Martin with 3 weekly non-stop flights to replace the Saint Martin – Curaçao – Amsterdam-Schiphol route.

Middle East and India: growth to Iran

Taking advantage of the expansion of the Iranian market, the group will continue to offer 7 weekly flights to Tehran: 4 weekly frequencies operated by KLM from Amsterdam-Schiphol and 3 weekly frequencies operated by Air France from Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

Air France-KLM is adapting its capacity in Egypt by suspending the Amsterdam-Schiphol – Cairo route, while maintaining a strong presence in this market with the deployment of Air France’s first Boeing 787.

KLM will be adjusting its flight schedule to the Middle East with the suspension of the service to Doha (Qatar) as of 25 March 2017. Instead, KLM will be increasing capacity to Bahrain by operating six weekly frequencies. Muscat (Oman) will be operated as a continuation of the flight to Dammam (Saudi Arabia), providing better connections at the group’s hub in Amsterdam-Schiphol.

Asia: consolidating our position

Air France is continuing its development to India by reinforcing its offer to Bangalore (1 additional weekly flight) and Mumbai (20% additional seats per day).

During the 2017 summer season, KLM will serve Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) with three additional weekly flights. These flights will be operated in addition to the daily Amsterdam-Schiphol-Kuala Lumpur-Jakarta (Indonesia) route.

In Greater China, passengers to and from Hong Kong will benefit daily from the latest long-haul cabins on board Air France’s Boeing 777-300 on departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle throughout the 2017 summer season.

KLM and China Airlines are strengthening their cooperation by offering a direct flight operated by China Airlines between Taipei and Amsterdam-Schiphol, in continuation of the 2016-17 winter season. Thanks to a capacity-sharing agreement, KLM will be able to offer its customers 11 weekly flights.

Africa and Indian Ocean: strengthening the offer of destinations on an expanding market

KLM will operate 3 weekly services from Amsterdam-Schiphol to Freetown (Sierra Leone) and Monrovia (Liberia). Flights to Freetown will be offered in addition to Air France services. Monrovia is a new destination for the group.

In South Africa, Air France will extend services to Cape Town, previously operated only in the winter.

In Ghana, Air France will operate flights to Accra, inaugurated on 28 February 2017, with 3 flights a week from Paris-Charles de Gaulle. This new offer is in addition to the KLM services operated from Amsterdam-Schiphol, bringing the Group’s offer to 10 weekly flights. This new service will provide optimized connections for customers connecting to and from North America and Europe.

Finally, in continuation of the winter season, KLM will operate 3 weekly flights from Amsterdam-Schiphol to Windhoek (Namibia), as a continuation of the flight to Luanda (Angola).

Medium and short-haul: + 2.7%

With increased capacity, the group is once again demonstrating its agility on the European network and is expanding its offer with 25 new routes this summer.

On departure from the hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol

On departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Air France will launch flights to Marrakech and Agadir (Morocco), Palma de Mallorca (Spain) and Porto (Portugal). This new offer is in line with Air France-KLM’s offensive strategy as part of its Trust Together project. The growth of the group’s fleet combined with a more intensive use of its aircraft allows it to offer new destinations in Europe during the peak summer period.

On departure from Amsterdam-Schiphol, KLM will launch flights to Cagliari and Catania (Italy), Gdansk (Poland), Graz (Austria), London-City Airport (UK), Malaga (Spain), Porto (Portugal), and Split Croatia). In continuation of the winter 2016-17 season, KLM will continue to serve Dublin (Ireland).

Air France and KLM will resume service to Milan-Malpensa with 5 and 4 daily frequencies respectively from Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol, in addition to 2 daily flights connecting Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Milan-Linate and a daily flight connecting Amsterdam-Schiphol to Milan-Linate.

On departure from Paris-Orly and the French regions

On the HOP! Air France network, in continuation of the 2016-17 winter season, 10 daily flights will be operated to Montpellier, the fifth La Navette destination on departure from Paris-Orly after Toulouse, Bordeaux, Marseille and Nice.

Hop Aircraft Slide Show:

On departure from the French provinces, to meet the high demand in the busy summer months, Air France will operate direct flights to Athens (Greece), Ibiza (Spain) and Stockholm (Sweden) from Marseille, to Athens (Greece) and Tel Aviv (Israel) from Nice, to Athens (Greece) and Malta from Toulouse, to Copenhagen (Denmark) and Frankfurt (Germany) from Bordeaux and to Ibiza (Spain) from Montpellier and Castres.

In addition, capacity will also be increased to Corsica, which will be served on departure from 16 French regional cities: Aurillac, Bordeaux, Brive, Caen, Castres, Clermont-Ferrand, La Rochelle, Lille, Metz-Nancy, Nantes, Quimper, Pau, Poitiers, Rennes, Strasbourg and Toulouse.

Copyright Photo: Transavia Airlines (Netherlands) Boeing 737-8K2 WL PH-HSK (msn 41330) BFI (Joe G. Walker). Image: 930150.

Transavia (Netherlands Slide Show:

Transavia: + 10.2%

This summer, Transavia will be offering 19 new routes**:

10 on departure from Amsterdam-Schiphol: Almeria (Spain), Belgrade (Serbia), Helsinki (Finland), Katowice (Poland), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Munich (Germany), Reus, (Spain), Sofia (Bulgaria), Tirana (Albania) and Zurich (Switzerland).
5 on departure from Rotterdam: Bergerac (France), Pisa (Italy), Pula (Croatia), Valencia (Spain) and Venice (Italy).
1 on departure from Eindhoven: Stockholm (Sweden).
3 on departure from Paris-Orly: Palma de Mallorca (Spain), Tangiers (Morocco) and Tivat (Montenegro).

Air France-KLM’s low-cost activity will offer a total of 133 destinations in 36 countries. 7 new Boeing 737-800 will join the fleet for a total of 70 aircraft.

In this way, Transavia, which is growing rapidly, is continuing its development on departure from France and the Netherlands. On departure from Paris-Orly, Transavia is strengthening its offer to Israel and Morocco. From Amsterdam-Schiphol, Transavia is developing new markets to the Eastern European countries.

* Capacity measured in available seat-kilometres compared to the 2016 summer schedule

**Compared to the 2016 summer season.

KLM introduces its orange Boeing 777-300 #OrangePride

KLM 777-300 PH-BVA (16-OrangePride)(Grd)(KLM)(LR)

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines on June 14, 2016 introduced its unique orange-colored Boeing 777-300 (777-306 ER PH-BVA, msn 35671). The well-known KLM Blue is being combined with orange highlights. The transition between the two colors features aspects of the Dutch flag. The combination emphasizes KLM’s Dutch roots and pride in the national color of the Netherlands.

The introduction of the special aircraft was partly prompted by a social media post KLM published on King’s Day 2015. At the time, KLM’s followers were presented with a picture of an orange aircraft, along with the question: “Should we color orange next year on King’s Day? #OrangeExperience”. 30,000 likes and 2,500 positive responses later, KLM rolls out its only orange aircraft on June 14.

KLM will deploy the orange Boeing 777 on routine flights within the network and, whenever possible, during events that offer opportunities to promote the Netherlands. The aircraft will debut this summer and will be in operation on the Rio de Janeiro-Amsterdam route during the Olympic Games. On 22 August, KLM will use its orange Boeing to operate the “Medal Flight” that brings the Dutch Olympic heroes home.

Painting procedure

335 liters of paint were used to spray the aircraft orange fading into KLM’s distinctive blue. Applying the colours in multiple, thin layers, requires less paint and the sustainable, chromate-free paint can be easily washed off. The colours of the Dutch flag have been incorporated in the transition between orange and blue, completing the aircraft’s Dutch image. It took a team of 35 people four days to spray on the orange livery.

More about the KLM Boeing 777-300

The KLM version of the Boeing 777-300 has a completely revamped interior, with full-flat seats in World Business Class and more legroom in Economy Class, ensuring greater comfort for passengers. In addition, the inflight entertainment system has been fully renewed and adapted throughout the cabin. By the end of this year, KLM will have replaced more than 80% of its intercontinental aircraft cabin interiors.

Photo: KLM.

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KLM takes delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

KLM 787-9 PH-BHA (14)(Grd)(KLM)(LR)

Boeing and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines are celebrating the delivery of the airline’s first 787-9 Dreamliner (PH-BHA). Over the coming years the 787 will play a key role in the Dutch flag carrier’s fleet renewal and expansion. KLM acquired this airplane through leasing company AerCap.

In addition to today’s delivery, the Air France-KLM Group has 19 787-9s and six 787-10s on order and will lease 12 787s through AerCap. KLM will operate its first 787-9 on its Amsterdam – Abu Dhabi – Bahrain service.

The 787-9 complements and extends the 787 family. With the fuselage stretched by 6 meters (20 feet) over the 787-8, the 787-9 can fly up to 20 percent more passengers and 23 percent more cargo farther yet with the same exceptional environmental performance – 20 percent less fuel use and 20 percent fewer emissions than the airplanes they replace.

KLM was founded in 1919, and is the oldest airline still operating under its original name. Based at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, KLM is part of the Air France-KLM Group and serves 135 destinations worldwide. Over the past half century KLM has taken delivery of more than 200 Boeing airplanes.

Photo: KLM.

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