NETHERLANDS: China Airlines Support KLM

KLM works with three Chinese airline partners: China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines. These partners have now stepped in to generously support KLM and the Netherlands by donating many tens of thousands of face masks and gloves to KLM in our struggle against the coronavirus outbreak.

In light of scarce resources at Dutch hospitals, KLM will in turn be helping the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam and other Dutch healthcare institutes.

Today, in the early hours of the morning, the first shipment arrived at Schiphol carried by one of Xiamen Airlines' aircraft.

On behalf of the employees of the three Chinese airlines, KLM President & CEO Pieter Elbers accepted this first shipment of in total around 90,000 face masks and 50,000 pairs of gloves.

KLM's CEO was accompanied by Ernst Kuipers, Chairman of the Boards of Erasmus MC and the Dutch Network for Acute Medical Care (Landelijk Netwerk Acute Zorg -- LNAZ), and Brinio Veldhuijzen van Zanten of KLM Health Services.

Over the past 20 years, KLM has established a broad-based route network, coupled with especially close relations in China.

Before the outbreak of the corona crisis, KLM and its partners operated 59 flights a week from Schiphol to mainland China. Shipments of this nature serve to underscore the enormous significance of connections by air in general, and those with China in particular.

Medical supplies like this can only be transported swiftly and efficiently to the other side of the world by aircraft. This is especially important in times of scarcity and interdependence.

KLM President & CEO Pieter Elbers highlighted that: "Help of this nature from our Chinese partners China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines is both incredibly generous and much appreciated.

Help like this from our Chinese friends serves to highlight just how close the ties are between China, the Netherlands and KLM. These are incredibly difficult times for our country and our company, so we are very pleased with this support for KLM and for the Netherlands.

Less than two months ago, we at KLM made a donation to China and now we have received fantastic and generous help ourselves. This certainly feels good."

On behalf of all Dutch healthcare institutes, LNAZ is coordinating the stocks of personal protective gear for healthcare workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ernst Kuipers, CEO Erasmus MC thanked KLM and said, "This donation will help all Dutch healthcare institutes at a critical phase of caring for patients across the Netherlands. We are also incredibly grateful to KLM's Chinese partners for this."

KLM will be flying from Hong Kong to Amsterdam at 1:35 p.m. on Tuesday, local time. The airline has been granted an exemption from the Dutch aviation authorities for the landing ban that applies to flights from the Chinese city, the Consulate General in Hong Kong announced.

Dutch and residents of other EU or Schengen countries stuck in Hong Kong are advised to contact the Dutch airline.

KLM is flying two final flights from Seoul, South Korea this week. The first will be on Tuesday, the second on Thursday, and both flights may be booked on KLM's website.

Cabin crew members of various airlines are deeply concerned about the risks of flying, especially on repatriating flights filled with passengers. "People are afraid," Chris van Elswijk of the Dutch Cabin Crew Association said to Hart van Nederland. "People are concerned about the distance and contact moments with passengers."

According to Van Elswijk, who is a purser for KLM, cabin crew members are trying to stick to the government guidelines of staying 1.5 meters from others, but that is not always possible. "If you work in a full aircraft with 300 passengers, you cannot meet the guidelines that are set," he said.

Airlines are working on measures to increase the safety of passengers and crew, he said. KLM, for example, adjusted the onboard service schedule so that there is less physical- or close range contact between passengers and crew.

And if crew members do not want to fly on a certain flight, their employers are open to discuss their concerns and alternatives, he said.

Because halting all air traffic is not yet an option, Van Elswijk said to Hart van Nederland. There are still many Dutch people abroad. They still have to be picked up.

Meanwhile, the first batch of Rwandans who were stranded abroad amid the novel coronavirus outbreak arrived in Rwanda Sunday, thanks to the Government’s partnership with Dutch airline KLM.

Most governments placed their countries into lockdown with no flights allowed to fly in as a measure to contain Covid-19, which left many people stranded in other countries, including Rwandans.

Rwanda itself put a stop to passenger planes and only emergence landings and cargo transporters are allowed into the country.

Rwandan nationals especially students who study abroad and other diaspora communities had expressed concern recently after failing to find a way to come back home.

The Government had promised that it was working out an alternative to rescue nationals and legal residents who were facing travel difficulties as a result of restrictions imposed by different countries.

“It’s true there is an arrangement between the Government of Rwanda and KLM! The 1st flight was yesterday, another departed today!” Jean Pierre Karabaranga, Rwanda’s Ambassador to The Hague said.

Karabaranga added that the last flight is expected Wednesday 25.

The Ambassador indicated that they have been spreading information regarding the arrangement by informing the diaspora members.

The Minister in charge of East African Community at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Olivier Nduhungirehe, said this follows a conversation with ambassadors to facilitate all Rwandans abroad.

We had a video call with all ambassadors on Friday and they are facilitating everyone who wants to come back to Rwanda to be able to get here, he noted.

Rwanda has so far registered 19 Covid-19 cases as of Sunday, according to the Ministry of Health.

NETHERLANDS: KLM The Worlds Oldest Airline Celebrates Its 100th Birthday

Dutch flag carrier KLM is celebrating its 100th anniversary Monday, making it one of the oldest airlines in the world and the oldest still flying under its original name.

KLM, short for Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij — “royal air transport company” in Dutch — was founded Oct. 7, 1919, though its first flight didn’t take to the skies until May 17, 1920.

Since then, KLM has become a major part of the international airline landscape, connecting far-flung destinations from its hub in Amsterdam.

It serves about 165 destinations from Schiphol airport (AMS) today. It’s now part of the Air France-KLM group, after their 2004 merger, and a member of the SkyTeam alliance with Delta Air Lines.

Air France-KLM’s frequent flyer program, Flying Blue, is probably the best tool to find award availability on SkyTeam carriers.

From Amsterdam, the airline serves the US with a mix of airplanes including the Airbus A330 and Boeing 777, 787 and even 747; it’s one of the few airlines that still operate the latter.

KLM has also been a social-media pioneer, and is known for videos that feature cute dogs.

As the airline looks to its next 100 years, it’s trying to stay on the cutting edge of of aviation technology, experimenting with more sustainable fuel sources and the “flying V” experimental fuselage.

Hangar 10 was the backdrop to the “KLM Experience”, where guests were treated to an impressive overview of KLM’s past, present and future. This included an in-depth look at KLM’s development over the decades and the role it played in international civil aviation.

Pieter Elbers, KLM President & CEO said the fact that we are celebrating our 100th anniversary is not just testimony to a century of successful enterprise, innovation, and commerce, but also to the faith that customers and partners have in KLM. It is an ode to KLM’s aviation pioneers, who literally put civil aviation on the map worldwide. KLM is the oldest international airline still operating under its original name. We were the first airline to successfully pursue partnerships and alliances, after which many other countries and airlines followed our example. This has brought together hundreds of millions of people around the globe. As Albert Plesman put it: “The ocean of the air unites all people.” We may take pride in our long list of achievements and efforts over the past 100 years. And so we stand – energetic and confident – on the threshold of a new century. Filled with the same pioneering and enterprising spirit, we look forward, with optimism, to taking on the challenges of sustainability and innovation.

Finance Minister of The Netherlands, Wopke Hoekstra said, you feel at home aboard a KLM aircraft. Wherever you are, when you’re with KLM, the Netherlands feels close by. Together with Schiphol, KLM is of great importance to our global connectivity and hence to employment opportunities in the Netherlands. The world is no longer the same as it was 100 years ago, but the pioneering spirit of Albert Plesman is still very much alive at the company. I wish KLM a wonderful centenary and a successful, innovative, jet-setting future, in which the company will join hands with Air France in achieving their superb share objective to become Europe’s best airline.

KLM’s 100th Delftware miniature

In keeping with tradition, today KLM marked its anniversary with the presentation of a new Delftware miniature house; a moment eagerly awaited by faithful collectors all over the world.

This year’s miniature is a replica of Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, the home of King Willem-Alexander and his family. Today the first copy of KLM’s 100th Delftware miniature house was presented to Finance Minister Wopke Hoestra by KLM President & CEO Pieter Elbers.

Huis ten Bosch Palace was built in the mid-17th century at the behest of Prince Frederik Hendrik of Orange and his wife Amalia van Solms.

It was extended in the first half of the 18th century by Prince Willem IV. After Willem I was crowned King of the Netherlands in 1815, the palace was regularly home to members of the Dutch royal family.

Since January 2019, Huis ten Bosch Palace has been the residence of King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and their three daughters. The palace also serves as a ceremonial venue.

KLM President & CEO Pieter Elbers said to me, Huis ten Bosch Palace symbolises the special bond between KLM and the Netherlands and the fact that we have borne the predicate Royal for the past 100 years. It is, therefore, a point of pride and honour that our 100th Delftware miniature is a replica of this very special building.

KLM100 House 100.1
Since the 1950s, KLM has presented specially designed Delftware miniature houses to World Business Class passengers on intercontinental flights.

The houses are replicas of monumental buildings throughout the Netherlands. The number of houses in the collection has kept pace with KLM’s anniversary since 1994, with new miniatures added to the collection on or around KLM’s anniversary on 7 October.

KLM book

KLM will also mark its centenary with a special book titled Welcome Aboard – 100 years of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The first copy was presented by KLM’s current Board of Managing Directors, Pieter Elbers, René de Groot and Erik Swelheim, to three former KLM presidents, Pieter Bouw, Leo van Wijk and Peter Hartman.

KLM Festivities Everywhere

Today, KLM staff worldwide shared special treats in honour of our 100th anniversary. There was cake and a special message from Pieter Elbers. In addition, all KLM staff will receive the coveted 100th KLM Delftware miniature house and have been invited to attend the “KLM Experience”.

Over the past weekend, KLM staff in their thousands were immersed in 100 years of KLM history. Many thousands more will gather this weekend, to undergo an unforgettable experience, featuring a wide array of events, shows, and activities.

Tourism Observer

INDIA: Bad Times For Jet Airways, Will They Fly Again?

After stopping operations earlier this month, Jet Airways technically isn’t gone forever. There are still some who want to see the airline gain additional financing in order to resume operations.

While there are some indicators Jet Airways could fly again, it seems unlikely given the current situation.

Jet Airways had a lot of debt and very little cash. India’s all out price war, with fares as low as a few cents, meant that there was an incredibly slim margin for profit.

Unfortunately, the market just didn’t work for Jet Airways. They invested in new aircraft, including the 737 MAX, and broadened their international partnerships. With a robust route network, Jet Airways thought they could be India’s top carrier.

Also burdening Jet Airways were high fuel costs and high taxes. Jet Airways simply could not make a profit. They teetered and tottered for months before finally seeing their fleet depleted.

In the days prior to their official suspension, only a handful of aircraft were operating and zero international routes were scheduled.

There has been a movement to resurrect Jet Airways. Former Jet Airways staff engaged in protests to get the airline up and running again. Jet Airways had a sizeable staff who are now faced with major uncertainty.

While some crew members went off to rival carriers, like SpiceJet, others are still looking for opportunities.

Jet Airways relied heavily on Etihad Airways for investment. Etihad itself faces significant financial concerns, yet somehow found Jet Airways worth sustaining. Over the years, they have put millions of dollars into the airline.

However, after the collapse of the airline and Etihad’s ongoing losses, it doesn’t seem like Etihad would want to resurrect the carrier before they get on solid financial footing themselves.

Etihad could always partner with an Indian conglomerate as Singapore Airlines did with their investment in Vistara. This could give Etihad some additional security since they wouldn’t necessarily be the ones pumping in funding for Jet Airways.

Jet Airways seems to be running out of luck and time for a new investor. With rival carriers descending on Jet’s valuable assets such as planes and the valuable slots at crowded airports, Jet Airways would face significant headwinds if they restarted operations.

This would definitely worry investors, especially as Indian airlines continue to miss out on record profits that other carriers see.

This is the question that aviation analysts and investors are grappling with. Jet Airways has a lost a lot in terms of positive name recognition, reputation, and key assets.

A new Jet Airways would have to reassure travelers that they can trust the carrier with their travel plans.

India’s aviation market is already quite crowded. State run Air India doesn’t seem to need to focus on turning a profit and low-cost carriers account for a significant market share.

As a result, it would be necessary for Jet Airways to define themselves as something different to what India already has. The problem is that Jet Airways doesn’t really have anything new and unique to offer travelers that current carriers cannot provide.

Delta Airlines recently announced a return to India. Though still vague on a few details, Delta plans to fly from New York to Mumbai. Mumbai was a major hub for Jet Airways. Thus, it made sense for Delta to connect the cities since there would be strong connecting opportunities.

Jet Airways has closely worked with Delta and KLM.

In the aftermath of Jet’s collapse, it seemed highly unlikely that Delta would return to Mumbai. Previously, it was reported that Delta may have some interest in Jet Airways and had a codesharing partnership with the carrier.

However, now that Delta is returning to Mumbai, it could be possible that they will have a role in resurrecting Jet Airways. Now, while there are no official reports or even rumors indicating Delta is seriously considering this.

While many would like to see Jet Airways resume operations, it seems highly unlikely, it may be the end of Jet Airways forever.


Tourism Observer

NETHERLANDS: KLM Declines To Accommodate Its Stranded Passengers

Dutch airline, KLM, is ignoring its legal obligations to stranded passengers and telling them that it is unable to book hotel rooms.

The false assertion is contained in a letter handed to travellers at the airline’s main base, Amsterdam Schiphol, which claims that hotels do not allow KLM to make reservations.

KLM emphasises that: Only individual travellers are allowed to book rooms.

In fact KLM, like any airline, is perfectly capable of booking rooms for stranded travellers. Indeed, it is obliged to do so under European air passengers’ rights rules for passengers who are stuck overnight.

Initially the flight was delayed. But then the airline apparently told passengers that due to a shortage of cabin crew the flight was cancelled.

At this stage the airline is obliged to provide them with a flight booking for the following day, a hotel and transport to get there as well as meals until they are due to leave.

Instead, staff handed passengers a bottle of water, a bar of chocolate and a letter containing a series of misleading statements, starting with: “Hotels do not allow us, an airline, to book rooms for our passengers.”

British Airways, easyJet and the Netherlands Board of Tourism have confirmed that there is no restriction on airlines booking hotel rooms around Amsterdam airport.

The letter goes on to say: We are left with no other option but to inform you of ways to book accommodation yourself. It suggests a number of websites, and recommends that passengers unable to find accommodation in the airport area should try Rotterdam, The Hague or Utrecht.

The rail journey to Utrecht late at night takes over an hour and involves a change of trains at Amsterdam Centraal.

Some passengers had no money and were very upset at the idea of spending the night in the airport.

They ended up flying on Aer Lingus from Amsterdam via Dublin to Manchester, where they arrived 22 hours late.

Under European air passengers’ rights rules, they asked for compensation of €250 each. But KLM rejected the claim, saying the cancellation was due to gusty wind from an unfavourable direction.

The passengers say that at the time of the delay they were simply told no cabin crew were available.

KLM insists that it is compliant with our obligations under the passengers’ rights rules.

KLM said that it has contracts with hotels for a certain amount of accommodation: Once the quota of rooms as per contract has been reached, hotels will not accept airline bookings as they require direct payment.

But there is no reason why the airline should not make payments via company credit cards or even cash.

KLM said: In the interest of good customer service, KLM offers its passengers information on ways to book accommodation. This is a genuine effort to be helpful to passengers.

Rather than having its passengers staying in lengthy queues, KLM prefers to give its passengers an opportunity to book hotels themselves.

There is nothing wrong with offering travellers choice, but they must always be provided with rooms if they prefer or unable to pay.


Tourism Observer

IRAN: Airlines Flee Iran Airspace

Airlines were facing low profitability even before returning sanctions took a toll on the country's currency.

Iranians reacted with anger and frustration to the news that British Airways will suspend its service to Iran from September 23. Soon after, news came that Air France would axe its service on September 18.

Some Iranians expressed a feeling of being imprisoned in the country as they learned that international airlines were leaving Iran.

Hamid Baeidinejad, Iran’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, responded to British Airway’s withdrawal more pragmatically, noting his hope that Iran Air, with its three weekly direct flights to London, can seize the opportunity and fill the gap.

The news appears to reflect further instances of multinational companies withdrawing from Iran in the face of returning US sanctions while bowing to the political pressure exerted by the Trump administration.

Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu took this view, stating about the withdrawals, That’s good. More should follow, more will follow, because Iran should not be rewarded for its aggression in the region.

But the airlines have communicated that commercial and not political factors were paramount in the decision to withdraw. The British Airways statement described their London to Tehran route as currently not commercially viable.

Air France echoed poor commercial viability. KLM has pointed to negative results and financial outlook.” Some Iranians, observing regularly full flights, have questioned the honesty of these statements.

The executive’s account provides a more precise picture of why numerous airlines have determined that flying to Tehran is no longer commercially viable.

These claims are not a fig leaf for politically motivated decisions, nor attempts to downplay legal barriers posed by returning sanctions which are minimal.

Instead, over the last few months, larger economic forces arose that made routes operating at high passenger loads unattractive, at least relative to the option of redeploying aircraft other routes worldwide.

The influx of international carriers into Iran led to increased competition. Such competition depressed airfares in the short term. Airlines knew that it would be difficult to become profitable quickly and had expected to wait at least two years in order to break even, the executive explains. But by early 2018, the break-even point remained out of reach.

International carriers had expected that the growth in business and tourist travel to and from Iran would boost demand and help drive airfares upward over time.

But the stalling post-sanctions economic recovery, slowed in part by President Trump’s decision to decertify the Iran nuclear deal in October as well as domestic factors, meant that the projected growth in passenger numbers was failing to materialize.

In response, as the first quarter of this year came to a close, most international carriers active in Iran began to plan reductions in their service in order to better match supply with demand.

Austrian Airlines pursued a realignment of the airline’s portfolio by suspending flights to Esfahan and Shiraz. KLM planned to suspend its flights and Air France opted to run a reduced service after switching the operation of the Paris-Tehran route to Joon, a subsidiary.

British Airways likewise planned to reduce the frequency of its flights.

These adjustments should have enabled the international airlines to increase airfares in the market by addressing oversupply, bringing profitability back within reach for the sector.

But the adjustments coincided with President Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and an acceleration in Iran’s currency crisis.

The falling value of the rial had two important effects on international airlines. First, it significantly decreased demand. Not only were airfares more expensive as the purchasing power of the rial declined, but Iranians were also struggling to get reliable access to the hard currency they need in order to spend freely when abroad.

Majid Nejad, CEO of Alibaba.ir, Iran’s leading online travel website, said compared with the same period last year, bookings to foreign destinations from Iran have fallen by half.

Second, as the rial lost value, the revenues accrued by international airlines in Iran also lost value. In order to mitigate the foreign exchange risk, some international airlines began to market tickets locally only at the highest booking classes, an airline industry price categorization.

Those few Iranians with access to foreign banks cards could still purchase tickets at any booking class online, accessing cheaper fares. Nonetheless, the move to increase prices hit demand.

But even if higher fares could protect revenues from devaluation in the short-term, the airlines faced long-standing issues around repatriation of revenues.

Last week, the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization announced that international airlines would need to buy euros at the market rate, contradicting an earlier assurance provided by the Central Bank of Iran that foreign currency would be available to the airlines at the lower government exchange rate.

The executive notes that a lack of clear communication from the central bank and aviation authority proved one of the most frustrating aspects of the whole episode.

In any case, airlines struggled to convert their rial holdings into foreign currency at whatever the rate.

The airlines executive believes that when airlines sought to convert their rial holdings in accounts at banks such as Saman Bank and Parsian Bank, the central bank failed to make the foreign currency available because they either did not have sufficient foreign currency on hand or were opting to build up reserves for more critical industries like the pharmaceutical sector.

As rial-denominated revenues languished in Iran, airlines saw their losses mount, and the routes were no longer commercially viable.

For context, the executive impresses that business is good in the aviation industry worldwide right now and that for airline executive committees dealing with the headache of operating in Iran, the option to simply reassign an aircraft and flight crew to another more profitable route became increasingly appealing.

For now, Lufthansa and Alitalia are continuing their services to Iran. For these European holdouts, the withdrawal of their competitors could offer a reprieve, reducing competition and perhaps helping to stabilize airfares.

European governments, which have been actively involved in the challenges faced by their national carriers since January, remain politically supportive. Of course, Iran Air will benefit.

Iran’s national carrier announced route expansions in May in an effort to win back market share from the international players.

No doubt, sanctions contributed to the withdrawal of international airlines out of Iran, but not for the political or legal reasons readily assumed.

Rather, international airlines would have persisted in their service to Iranian destinations, emboldened by political support from European governments, had it not been for the intractable issues surrounding commercial viability.

While the withdrawal from Iran essentially came down to fundamental commercial calculations, the executive makes sure to relay that the decision to cease operating in Iran was nonetheless difficult to make.

In his words, nothing was more painful than how deeply unfair the whole situation is for our team members in Iran. Like many other young and talented Iranians, those let go by the international carriers will be wondering what next.


Tourism Observer

IRAN: Air France and British Airways Stop Flights To Tehran

Air France made it’s last flight to Tehran on September 18th. Air France cut the number of frequencies to Tehran on August 1, announcing that it would fly only once in a week instead of 3.

British Airways will close route 4 days after Air France on September 22nd with a return trip on the 23rd.

British Airways and Air France are following suit of KLM, which announced last month that it would suspend flights from Amsterdam to Iran in September.

Both airlines are issuing statements that the routes are no longer commercially viable.

As the number of business customers flying to Iran has fallen, the connection is not profitable anymore, said a spokesperson for Air France.

However, speculation that the airlines are simply giving in to political pressure after the United States pulled out of the nuclear agreement with Iran and reimposed sanctions on Iran.

After the sanctions were originally reimposed in early August, Airbus and ATR stopped their deliveries to Iran Air, Iran’s national carrier.

Air France, KLM, and British Airways originally restarted their routes to Tehran in 2015 after the nuclear deal was originally struck.

British Airways is offering refunds to passengers affected or offering to rebook passengers with other carriers.

Air France has, in recent times, transferred their Theran route to their subsidiary, JOON.

Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Germania, Alitalia, and Turkish Airlines are some of the European airlines still operating their routes to Tehran. None of them have provided any indication that they plan to cut their flights as well.


Tourism Observer

NETHERLANDS: Hotel Website Booking.com Expands Services

Amsterdam-based Booking.com is expanding its activities with the aim of becoming a complete travel department store.

Customers from around the world will be able to book flights, attractions, food and drink offerings as well as local travel through the Booking-com website.

For years Booking,com has offered only hotel rooms and other accommodation.

CEO Gillian Tans told the paper the company is poised to enter the broader travel market partly due to the rise of smart phones.

Tans: People have more confidence in smart phone technology so that they book more last-minute deals. They believe it is no longer necessary to plan far ahead. I’ll just go. Book the first hotel when I arrive in Bangkok and then see what happens.

Amsterdam Booking.com captured a good share of the hotel booking market shortly after it was founded in Amsterdam in 1996.

As a result, the number of tour operators and travel agencies fell back as travellers began booking hotel rooms on their personal computers.

Now the company is investing millions in new technologies used in machine learning and artificial intelligence to personalise bookings.

Booking.com needs to change course as competition increases from sites like Airbnb which also offer tourist attractions like historic walks, offbeat concerts and kayaking.

Airlines like Ryanair and KLM are also expanding their range of offerings with deals that include car hire and accommodation.

US bourse-listed Priceline acquired Booking.com for $135m in 2005 ad is now one of Priceline’s best performing units.

It is about to change its name to Booking Holding. The bourse valuation of the company is more than $100bn.



Tourism Observer

NETHERLANDS: Air France-KLM’s New CEO Be An Aviation Specialist

The entire board of the Air France KLM airline combine are gathered in Amstelveen on Monday and Tuesday to discuss the naming of a new CEO.

There is so much opposition to the naming of Philippe Capron as CEO that the group is now considering naming separate CEOs for the holding company and Air France itself.

The situation within the combine is explosive. Capron’s name emerged last week as a possible new CEO for the group.

But both KLM and Delta Airlines, another shareholder and partner of Air France KLM, object on the grounds that Capron had no experience in the aviation industry nor in the role of CEO.

Like his predecessors at Air France KLM, Capron has a privileged relationship with the French government and is a graduate of the prestigious École nationale d’administration, the FD said.

Air France KLM is seeking a replacement for Jean-Marc Janaillac, who quit in May over lack of support for a new pay and conditions pact.

He was also largely blamed for the many days lost to strikes which cost the combine some €400m so far this year.

KLM is very profitable while Air France keeps running losses which further undermines the fragile alliance.

Meanwhile, Accor is pressing ahead with plans to buy a stake in state-backed airline Air France-KLM, approaching European investors to ask them to team up with the French hotelier, said three people familiar with the situation.

The search for regional partners is in part to address any concerns that Accor could breach EU aviation regulations, which demand that European airlines must have at least 50 per cent of their capital owned by European investors in order to secure their right to fly.

At least a quarter of Accor’s capital is owned by non-European investors, which could prove to be an issue in buying a stake in the French airline, said one person with knowledge of the situation.

European investors could ease any concerns about the extent of overseas ownership of the stake.

Accor earlier this month confirmed it was looking at buying the French state’s 14 per cent stake in Air France-KLM, which is valued at about €430m.

While some Accor investors have said they see an industrial logic to a potential tie-up between Accor and the airline, with the potential for working together in areas such as loyalty programmes, data and technology, some have questioned why Accor needs to spend €430m on a stake to do this.

By teaming up with other investors, Accor could help alleviate these concerns, said a person familiar with the deal.

Accor’s move comes during a turbulent period for the French-Dutch airline which is trying to find a new chief executive to replace Jean-Marc Janaillac, who quit in May after putting his job on the line in an effort to end strikes over pay.

The board of Air-France KLM was meeting in Amsterdam on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss the chief executive search and the company’s strategy.

Philippe Capron, chief financial officer at French water and waste company Veolia, has been mooted as a favourite for the role among the nomination committee, which is led by Air France-KLM interim chief executive Anne-Marie Couderc.

According to people familiar with the matter, KLM and shareholders Delta and China Eastern Airlines, which each hold 8 per cent of the group, have expressed concern with Mr Capron’s appointment, partly because of his lack of aviation experience.

French finance minister Bruno Le Maire on Sunday suggested the race is still open: Capron is one of the possible candidates but he is not the only one. It takes experience.

The French government, whose 14 per cent stake in the company comes with voting rights of 23 per cent, has said it would like to see a new chief executive of the airline installed before making any decisions on changes to its ownership.

However, that uncertainty could in turn make the hunt for a new chief executive more difficult because candidates already facing a battle with unions may be reluctant to commit before they have visibility on any changes in the group’s shareholder structure.

Chinese tourism company Jinjiang International Company Limited owns about 12.32 per cent of Accor. The Qatar Investment Authority has 10.17 per cent, and 5.69 per cent is held by the Kingdom Holding Company of Saudi Arabia, according to Accor’s shareholder register at December 31.

France’s transport minister on Thursday said it was important that Air France-KLM’s new CEO be a specialist of air transport.

Minister Elisabeth Borne also said that it would be good to appoint the new CEO in July.

French media have reported that KLM, the Dutch airline part of the group, and Delta Airlines - which has an 8.8 percent stake - had expressed opposition toward possible plans to name Veolia chief financial officer Philippe Capron as new Air France KLM CEO over his lack of experience in the sector.

Without getting into more details Borne said Capron was one of the candidates, Air France-KLM is facing global competition and I think it is important that we find someone who is a specialist of the aviation sector and can quickly take leadership in the company, which faces important challenges.

Air France-KLM said on Wednesday that its search for a new chief executive was continuing, adding it hoped to reach a decision “as quickly as possible”.


Tourism Observer

NETHERLANDS: KLM Improves Economy Class Catering And Serves A Sustainable Coffee Blend

Dutch airline KLM is poised to improve economy catering on long-haul flights.

Passengers will be offered an extended choice of meals and snacks and this will vary depending on the length of flight and route.

According to the carrier the new meal service will include a choice of warm dishes, a large, well-filled salad, and a dessert on intercontinental daytime flights, while on medium-range and longer intercontinental flights the selection of snacks will be further extended with ice-creams, sweets, and savoury snacks.

From July 1 the new economy service will appear on flights to nine destinations: Bonaire (via Aruba), Entebbe (via Kigali), Fortalezza, Osaka, Hong Kong, Houston, Seoul, Rio de Janeiro and Vancouver.

Starting on October 28 KLM will extend the service to all its intercontinental destinations.

However KLM is renowned for being a hard-nosed airline. From KLM’s point of view the new service will mean a saving on staff costs.

What KLM calls a new and efficient economy service means one less cabin staff member is needed on most services.

KLM says it has reached a collective labour agreement which includes a clause that one less crew member will be assigned on many intercontinental flights.

Meanwhile, KLM has announced a new partnership with fellow Dutch firm Douwe Egberts to offer a sustainable coffee blend across its flights and selected airport lounges.

The carrier says it has opted for a coffee blend which works perfectly with the experience of taste at high altitude so that a cup of coffee will taste as good in flight as it does on the ground.

The new offering will be served inflight on all European and interncontinental flights from October 1, as well as in KLM’s European Crown Lounge and Intercontinental Crown Lounge.

The airline says the coffee is UTZ certified, a programme and a label for sustainable farming founded in Amsterdam, which recently announced plans to merge with the Rainforest Alliance.

Commenting on the news Miriam Kartman, KLM Executive Vice President Inflight Services said:

We are extremely pleased and proud of our partnership with Douwe Egberts.

Good coffee is important to our customers and KLM also believes it is extremely important to serve sustainable coffee.

Two profoundly Dutch brands – both of which place quality first – can only serve to reinforce each other.


Tourism Observer

THAILAND: KLM Flight From Amsterdam To Kuala Lumpur Makes Stopover In Phuket After A Passenger's Phone Overheated And Caused Smoke

KLM Boeing 777-200 was enroute at FL390 about 100nm northwest of Phuket - Thailand when the crew decided to divert to Phuket due to a passenger’s mobile phone overheating and emitting a lot of smoke.

The aircraft landed safely in Phuket about 20 minutes later.

The airline said Flight KL 809 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur made a stopover in Phuket, Thailand.

Smoke accumulated in the cabin when a passenger’s mobile phone overheated.

The crew handled the situation well and the captain opted to land the aircraft as a precautionary measure.

The aircraft landed safely and at no time were passengers or crew in danger.

A safety check has since been carried out in the cabin and the aircraft has been released for departure.

Owing to compulsory crew work and rest times, the flight to Kuala Lumpur cannot continue immediately and passengers and crew are being accommodated in hotels in Phuket.

As a result, the flight has incurred an 18-hour delay.

The onward flight to Kuala Lumpur-Jakarta- Kuala Lumpur has been cancelled.

KLM regrets the inconvenience this is causing its passengers.



Tourism Observer

NETHERLANDS: KLM Suffers Severe Turbulence On A Flight To Amsterdam Injuring 4

KLM Boeing 777, performing flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam, was enroute over the Atlantic Ocean when the aircraft suffered severe turbulence causing injuries to two passengers and two flight attendants.

After assessment of the injuries the crew decided to continue the flight to Amsterdam, descending towards Amsterdam the crew requested medical assistance available at landing advising there was one should injury and one wheelchair being needed for transport.

The aircraft landed safely in Amsterdam. The injured were provided with medical care at Amsterdam.

The aircraft departed for the next flight about 5.5 hours after landing.

Also Air France-KLM has agreed to waive surcharges for leisure and corporate customers that book through Expedia Group brands Expedia, Ebookers and Egencia.

As of April 1, Air France-KLM added an €11 fee for each one-way flight segment not booked directly with its airlines – Air France, KLM and Hop.

This agreement waives that fee in all European markets, including the United Kingdom and Switzerland.

Expedia Group says the agreement is part of a collaborative effort by Air France-KLM and selected GDS partners to integrate IATA’s New Distribution Capabilities (NDC) technology standard.

Last week Travelport and Amadeus also signed deals with Air France-KLM to allow their customers to access the airlines’ content without paying the surcharge.

Air France-KLM announced the fee in November, saying it will cover the cost difference between flights booked through a global distribution system and those booked directly with the carrier.

IAG's British Airways and Iberia implemented a fee for GDS bookings last fall, and Lufthansa added a similar surcharge in September 2015.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, legally Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V., is the flag carrier airline of the Netherlands. KLM is headquartered in Amstelveen, with its hub at nearby Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

It is part of the Air France–KLM group, and is a member of the SkyTeam airline alliance. KLM was founded in 1919; it is the oldest airline in the world still operating under its original name and had 35,488 employees as of 2015. KLM operates scheduled passenger and cargo services to 145 destinations.

On 30 September 2003, Air France and KLM agreed to a merger plan in which Air France and KLM would become subsidiaries of a holding company called Air France–KLM. Both airlines would retain their own brands, and both Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol would become key hubs.

In February 2004, the European Commission and United States Department of Justice approved the proposed merger of the airlines. In April 2004, an exchange offer in which KLM shareholders exchanged their KLM shares for Air France shares took place.

Since 5 May 2004, Air France–KLM has been listed on the Euronext exchanges in Paris, Amsterdam and New York. In September 2004, the merger was completed by creation of the Air France–KLM holding company.

The merger resulted in the world's largest airline group and should have led to an estimated annual cost-saving of between €400 million and €500 million.

It did not appear that KLM's longstanding joint venture with Northwest Airlines—which merged with Delta Air Lines in 2008—was affected by the merger with Air France. KLM and Northwest joined the SkyTeam alliance in September 2004.

In 2004, senior management came under fire for providing itself with controversial bonuses after the merger with Air France, while 4,500 jobs were lost at KLM. After external pressure, management gave up on these bonuses.

In March 2007, KLM started to use the Amadeus reservation system, along with partner Kenya Airways. After 10 years as president of the airline, Leo van Wijk resigned from his position and was succeeded by Peter Hartman.

Beginning in September 2010, KLM integrated the passenger division of Martinair into KLM, transferring all personnel and routes. By November 2011, Martinair consisted of only the cargo and maintenance division.

In March 2011, KLM and InselAir reached an agreement for mutual cooperation on InselAir destinations, thus expanding its passenger services.

Beginning 27 March 2011, KLM passengers could fly to all InselAir destinations through InselAir's hubs in Curaçao and Sint Maarten. This cooperation was extended to a codeshare agreement in 2012.

On 20 February 2013, KLM announced that Peter Hartman would resign as president and CEO of KLM on 1 July 2013. He was succeeded by Camiel Eurlings. Hartman remained employed by the company until he retired on 1 January 2014.

On 15 October 2014, KLM announced that Eurlings, in joint consultation with the supervisory board, had decided to immediately resign as president and CEO. As of this date, he was succeeded by Pieter Elbers.

KLM received the award for "Best Airline Staff Service" in Europe at the World Airline Awards 2013. This award represents the rating for an airline's performance across both airport staff and cabin staff combined.

It is the second consecutive year that KLM won this award; in 2012 it was awarded with this title as well. On 19 June 2012, KLM made the first transatlantic flight fueled partly by sustainable biofuels to Rio de Janeiro. This was the longest distance any aircraft had flown on biofuels.

As of October 2015, KLM's corporate leader is its president and chief executive officer (CEO) Pieter Elbers, who replaced Camiel Eurlings suddenly on 15 October 2014.

The president and CEO is part of the larger Executive Committee, which manages KLM and consists of the statutory managing directors and executive vice-presidents of KLM's business units that are represented in the Executive Committee.

The supervision and management of KLM are structured in accordance with the two-tier model; the Board of Managing Directors is supervised by a separate and independent Supervisory Board. The Supervisory Board also supervises the general performance of KLM.

The Board of Managing Directors is formed by the four Managing Directors, including the CEO. Nine Supervisory Directors comprise the Supervisory Board.

KLM's head office is located in Amstelveen, on a 6.5-hectare (16-acre) site near Schiphol Airport. The airline's current headquarters was built between 1968 and 1970. Before the opening of the new headquarters, the airline's head office was on the property of Schiphol Airport in Haarlemmermeer.

KLM also worked closely with ALM Antillean Airlines in the Caribbean in order to provide air service for the Dutch controlled islands in the region with KLM aircraft such as the Douglas DC-8 and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 being operated by KLM flight crews on behalf of ALM.

KLM Asia is a wholly KLM-owned subsidiary registered in Taiwan. The airline was established in 1995 to operate flights to Taipei without compromising the traffic rights held by KLM for destinations in the People's Republic of China.

The livery of KLM Asia does not feature Dutch national symbols, such as the flag of the Netherlands, nor KLM's stylised Dutch Crown logo. Instead, it features a special KLM Asia logo. The airline has seven Boeing 777-200ER and two Boeing 777-300ER.

KLM Asia initially operated the Amsterdam-Bangkok-Taipei route with a B747-400 Combi or a B747-400 non-combi aircraft.

Since March 2012, it has operated the revised Amsterdam-Taipei-Manila route with Boeing 777-200ER/-300ER aircraft. Some aircraft are already painted in the revised KLM Asia livery of 2014.

KLM has utilized several major liveries since its founding, with numerous variations on each. Initially many aircraft featured a bare-metal fuselage with a stripe above the windows bearing the phrase "The Flying Dutchman".

The rudder was divided into three segments and painted to match the Dutch flag. Later aircraft types sometimes bore a white upper fuselage, and additional detail striping and titling.

In the mid-1950s, the livery was changed to feature a split cheatline in two shades of blue on a white upper fuselage, and angled blue stripes on the vertical stabilizer. The tail stripes were later enlarged and made horizontal, and the then-new crown logo was placed in a white circle.

The final major variation of this livery saw the vertical stabilizer painted completely white with the crown logo in the center. All versions of this livery had small "KLM Royal Dutch Airlines" titles, first in red, and later in blue.

Since 1971, the KLM livery has primarily featured a bright blue fuselage, with variations on the striping and details. Originally a wide, dark blue cheatline covered the windows, and was separated from the light gray lower fuselage by a thin white stripe.

The KLM logo was placed centrally on the white tail and on the front of the fuselage. In December 2002, KLM introduced an updated livery in which the white strip was removed and the dark-blue cheatline was significantly narrowed. The bright blue color was retained and now covers most of the fuselage.

The KLM logo was placed more centrally on the fuselage while its position on the tail and the tail design remained the same. In 2014, KLM modified its livery with a swooping cheatline that wraps around the entire forward fuselage. The livery was first introduced on Embraer 190 aircraft.

In 2018 KLM will introduce a new livery owing to the unpopular reception to the revised scheme introduced in 2014.

KLM also has several aircraft painted in special liveries; they include the following:

PH-BVA, a Boeing 777-300ER, features an orange forward fuselage that fades into the standard blue to commemorate the Netherlands national team's participation in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

PH-KZU, a Fokker F70, has been applied with a special livery featuring Anthony Fokker, the founder of Fokker, commemorating the airline's long standing history with Fokker aircraft and the phase out of the Fokker 70 aircraft in October 2017.

Several aircraft bear the silver SkyTeam alliance livery, including PH-BVD (a 777-300ER), PH-BXO (a 737-900), and PH-EZX (a KLM Cityhopper ERJ-190).

In April 2010, KLM introduced new uniforms for its female cabin attendants, ground attendants and pilots at KLM and KLM Cityhopper. The new uniform was designed by Dutch couturier Mart Visser.

It retains the KLM blue color that was introduced in 1971 and adds a touch of orange—the national color of the Netherlands.

KLM has used several slogans for marketing throughout its operational history:

- The businessman travels, sends, and receives by KLM

- The Flying Dutchman

- Bridging the World 1994

- The Reliable Airline

- KLM, A Journey of Inspiration 2009–present.

KLM started KLM AirCares, a program that aids underprivileged children in developing countries to which KLM flies, in 1999. The airline collects money and airmiles from passengers. In 2012, new applications for support from the program were suspended because it needed an overhaul.

KLM and its partners serve 133 destinations in 70 countries on five continents from their hub at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

KLM codeshares with the following airlines:

- Adria Airways
- Aer Lingus
- Aeroflot
- Aerolíneas Argentinas
- Aeroméxico
- Air Astana
- Air Europa
- Air France
- Air Malta
- Air Mauritius
- Air Serbia
- airBaltic
- Alaska Airlines ends April 30, 2018
- Alitalia
- Bangkok Airways
- Belavia
- Bulgaria Air
- China Airlines
- China Eastern Airlines
- China Southern Airlines
- CityJet
- Copa Airlines
- Croatia Airlines
- Czech Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Etihad Airways
- Garuda Indonesia
- Georgian Airways
- Gol Transportes Aéreos
- Insel Air
- Jet Airways
- Kenya Airways
- Korean Air
- Malaysia Airlines
- Oman Air
- Pegasus Airlines
- Saudia
- Sichuan Airlines
- TAAG Angola Airlines
- TAROM
- Transavia
- Ukraine International Airlines
- Vietnam Airlines
- WestJet
- XiamenAir

As of January 2018, the KLM fleet excluding its subsidiaries KLM Cityhopper, Transavia and Martinair consists of the following aircraft:

Airbus A330-200 - 8
Airbus A330-300 - 5
Boeing 737-700 - 18
Boeing 737-800 - 27
Boeing 737-900 - 5
Boeing 747-400 - 4
Boeing 747-400M - 9
Boeing 777-200ER - 15
Boeing 777-300ER - 14
Boeing 787-9 - 12
KLM Cargo Fleet
Boeing 747-400ERF - 3 Cargo

KLM has three cabin classes for international long-haul routes; World Business Class, Economy Comfort and Economy. Personal screens with audio-video on demand, satellite telephone, SMS, and e-mail services are available in all cabins on all long-haul aircraft .

European short-haul and medium-haul flights have Economy seats in the rear cabin, and Economy Comfort and Europe Business in the forward cabin.

World Business Class is KLM's long-haul business class product. Seats in the older World Business Class are 20 inches (51 cm) wide and have a 60-inch (150 cm) pitch. Seats can be reclined into a 170-degree angled flat bed with a length of 75 inches (190 cm).

Seats are equipped with a 10.4-inch (26 cm) personal entertainment system with audio and video on demand in the armrest, privacy canopy, massage function and laptop power ports. World Business Class seating is in a 2–2–2 abreast arrangement on all Airbus A330s.

In March 2013, KLM introduced a new World Business Class seat to the long-haul fleet. Dutch designer Hella Jongerius designed the new cabin. The diamond-type seat is manufactured by B/E Aerospace and is installed on all Boeing 747-400s and Boeing 777s.

The new seats are fully flat and offer 17-inch (43 cm)-high definition personal entertainment systems. When fully flat, the bed is about 2 metres (6.6 ft) long.

The cabin features a cradle-to-cradle carpet made from old uniforms woven in an intricate pattern, which is combined with new pillows and curtains with a similar design.

A completely new design of Business Class seat was introduced with the launch of KLM's Boeing 787; this aircraft's business class seats are based on the Zodiac Cirrus platform used by Air France.

The new seats lie fully flat, with a 1-2-1 layout so every passenger has direct aisle access, a large side-storage area and 16-inch (41 cm) HD video screen.

Dutch design group Viktor & Rolf has designed and provides amenity kits to World Business Class passengers. A new design will be introduced each year and the color of the kits will change every six months.

The kit contains socks, eye mask, toothbrush, toothpaste, earplugs and Viktor & Rolf lip balm.

Europe Business Class is KLM's and KLM Cityhopper's, short-haul business-class product. Europe Business Class seats are 17-inch (43 cm) wide and have an average pitch of 33 inches (84 cm). Middle seats in rows of three are blocked to increase passengers' personal space.

Europe Business Class seats feature extra legroom and recline further than regular Economy Class seats. In-seat power is available on all Boeing 737 aircraft. Europe Business Class has no personal entertainment.

Seating is arranged 3–3 abreast with the middle seat blocked on the Boeing 737 aircraft, and a 2–2 abreast arrangement on the Embraer 190 aircraft.

Economy Comfort is the premium economy product offered on all KLM and KLM Cityhopper flights. Economy Comfort seats on long-haul flights have 4 inches (10 cm) more pitch than Economy Class, a 35–36-inch (89–91 cm) pitch and recline up to 7 inches (18 cm); double the recline of Economy.

Economy Comfort seats on short-haul flights have 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) more pitch, totaling 33.5–34.5-inch (85–88 cm), and can recline up to 5 inches (13 cm) (40%) further. Except for the increased pitch and recline, seating and service in Economy Comfort is the same as in Economy Class.

Economy Comfort is located in a separate cabin before the Economy Class; passengers can exit the aircraft before Economy passengers.

Economy Comfort seats can be reserved by Economy Class passengers. The service is free for passengers with a full-fare ticket, for Flying Blue Platinum members and for Delta Air Lines SkyMiles Platinum or Diamond members.

Discounts apply for Flying Blue Silver or Gold members, SkyTeam Elite Plus members and Delta SkyMiles members.

The Economy Class seats on long-haul flights have a 31-to-32-inch (79–81 cm) pitch and are 17.5 inches (44 cm) wide. All seats are equipped with adjustable winged headrests, a 9-inch (23 cm) PTV with AVOD, and a personal handset satellite telephone that can be used with a credit card.

Economy Class seats in Airbus A330-300 aircraft are also equipped with in-seat power. The Economy Class seats on short-haul flights have a 30-to-31-inch (76–79 cm) pitch and are 17 inches (43 cm) wide. The Economy Class seats on short-haul flights do not feature any personal entertainment.

The long-haul Economy Class seating is in a 3–4–3 abreast arrangement on the Boeing 747-400, Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and on Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, a 3-3-3 abreast arrangement on the Boeing 787-9 aircraft, and a 2–4–2 abreast arrangement on the Airbus A330 aircraft.

The short-haul Economy Class seating is in a 3–3 abreast arrangement on the Boeing 737 aircraft and a 2–2 abreast arrangement on the Embraer 175 and 190 aircraft.

KLM's in-flight entertainment system is available in all classes on all widebody aircraft; it provides all passengers with Audio/Video on Demand (AVOD).

The system includes interactive entertainment including movies, television programs, music, games, and language courses. About 80 movies including recent releases, classics and world cinema are available in several languages. The selection is changed every month.

The in-flight entertainment system can be used to send SMS text messages and emails to the ground. Panasonic's 3000i system is installed on all Boeing 747-400, Boeing 777-200ER, and on most of the Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

All Airbus A330-300 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, and some Airbus A330-200 aircraft are fitted with the Panasonic eX2 in-flight entertainment system.

KLM provides a selection of international newspapers to its passengers on long-haul flights; on short-haul flights they are only offered to Europe Business Class passengers.

A selection of international magazines is available for World Business Class passengers on long-haul flights. All passengers are provided with KLM's in-flight magazine, the Holland Herald.

On board flights to China, South Korea and Japan, the airline offers in-flight magazines EuroSky (China and Japan), in either Chinese or Japanese, and Wings of Europe (South Korea) in Korean.

On 29 May 2013, KLM and Air France launched a pilot scheme to test in-flight Wi-Fi internet access. Each airline equipped one Boeing 777-300ER in its fleet with Wi-Fi, which passengers can use with their Wi-Fi-enabled devices.

Wireless service was available after the aircraft reached 20,000 feet (6,100 m) in altitude.

World Business Class passengers are served a three-course meal. Each year KLM partners with a leading Dutch chef to develop the dishes that are served on board.

Passengers in Europe Business Class are served either a cold meal, a hot main course, or a three-course meal depending on the duration of the flight. All chicken served in World and Europe Business Class meets the standards of the Dutch Beter Leven Keurmerk or Better Life Quality Mark.

KLM partnered with Dutch designer Marcel Wanders to design the tableware of World and European Business Class.

Economy Class passengers on long-haul flights are served a hot meal and a snack, and second hot meal or breakfast, depending on the duration of the flight.

On short-haul flights, passengers are served sandwiches or a choice of sweet or savory snack, depending on the duration and time of the day. If the flight is at least two hours long, stroopwafel cookies are served before descent.

Most alcoholic beverages are free of-charge for all passengers. After a successful trial period, KLM introduced à la carte meals in Economy Class on 14 September 2011; Dutch, Japanese, Italian, cold delicacies, and Indonesian meals are offered.

Special meals, include children's, vegetarian, medical, and religious meals, can be requested in each class up to 24 or 36 hours before departure.

On flights to India, China, South Korea, and Japan, KLM offers authentic Asian meals in all classes. Meals served on KLM flights departing from Amsterdam are provided by KLM Catering Services.

In September 2016, KLM launched world's first in-flight draft beer under the partnership with Heineken. The new service made its premiere this week aboard a flight to Curacao in the airline's World Business Class cabin.

Since the 1950s, KLM presents its World Business Class passengers with a Delft blue, miniature, traditional, Dutch house. These miniatures are reproductions of real Dutch houses and are filled with Dutch genever.

Initially the houses were filled with Bols liqueur, which in 1986 was changed for Bols young genever.

In 1952, KLM started to give the houses to its First Class passengers. With the elimination of First Class in 1993, the houses were handed out to all Business Class passengers.

The impetus for these houses was a rule aimed at curtailing a previously widespread practice of offering incentives to passengers by limiting the value of gifts given by airlines to 0.75 US cents.

KLM did not bill the Delft Blue houses as a gift, but as a last drink on the house, which was served in the house.

Every year, a new house is presented on 7 October, the anniversary of KLM's founding in 1919. The number on the last-presented house thus represents the number of years KLM has been in operation.

Special edition houses—the Dutch Royal Palace and the 17th century Cheese Weighing House De Waag in Gouda—are offered to special guests, such as VIPs and honeymoon couples.

KLM offers various check-in methods to its passengers, who can check in for their flights at self-service check-in kiosks at the airport, via the Internet, or via a mobile telephone or tablet.

At destinations where these facilities are not available, check-in is by an airline representative at the counter. Electronic boarding passes can be received on a mobile device while boarding passes can be printed at airport kiosks.

Since 4 July 2008 KLM, in cooperation with Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, has been offering self-service baggage drop-off to its passengers. The project started with a trial that included one drop-off point. The number of these points has gradually increased.

As of 8 February 2012 there are 12 of them. KLM passengers can now drop off their bags themselves. Before they are allowed to do that they are being checked by a KLM employee.

In November 2012, KLM started a pilot scheme at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to test self-service boarding. Passengers boarded the aircraft without interference of a gate agent by scanning their boarding passes, which opened a gate.

KLM partner airline Air France ran the same pilot at its hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. The pilot ran until March 2013, which was followed by an evaluation.

KLM is the first airline to offer self-service transfer kiosks on its European and intercontinental routes for passengers connecting through Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

The kiosks enable connecting passengers to view flight details of connecting flights, to change seat assignments or upgrade to a more comfortable seat.

When a passenger misses a connecting flight, details about alternative flights can be viewed on the kiosk and a new boarding pass can be printed.

Passengers who are entitled to coupons for a beverage, meal, the use of a telephone, or a travel discount can have these printed at the kiosk.

KLM has bus services for customers living in certain cities without flights from KLM, transporting them to airports where they may board KLM flights.

It operates buses from Nijmegen railway station and Arnhem Central Station in the Netherlands to Amsterdam Schiphol, and from Ottawa Railway Station to Montreal Dorval Airport in Canada.

In addition KLM has codeshares with Thalys and SNCF services so passengers from various French cities may travel to Charles de Gaulle Airport and passengers from Belgium may go to Schiphol from Antwerp or Charles de Gaulle from Brussels.

Air France-KLM's frequent flyer program, Flying Blue, awards miles based on the distance traveled, ticket fare and class of service. Other airlines that adopted the Flying Blue programme include Air Europa, Garuda Indonesia, Kenya Airways, Aircalin, and TAROM.

Miles can also be earned from all other SkyTeam partners. Membership in the program is free. Two types of miles can be earned within the Flying Blue program; Award Miles and Level Miles.

Award Miles can be exchanged for rewards and expire after 20 months without flying. Level Miles are used to determine membership level and remain valid until 31 December of each year.

Award Miles can be earned on Flying Blue partner airlines including Alaska Airlines, Air Corsica, Airlinair, Bangkok Airways, Chalair Aviation, Comair, Copa Airlines, Gol Transportes Aereos, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, TAAG Angola, Twin Jet, and Ukraine International Airlines, as well as SkyTeam partners.

Award Miles are redeemable for free tickets, upgrades to a more expensive seating class, extra baggage allowance, and lounge access. They can also be donated to charity through KLM AirCares, or can be spent in the Flying Blue Store.

The Flying Blue programme is divided into four tiers; Ivory, Silver (SkyTeam Elite), Gold (SkyTeam Elite Plus) and Platinum (SkyTeam Elite Plus).

The membership tier depends on the number of Level Miles earned and is recalculated each calendar year. Flying Blue privileges are additive by membership tier; higher tiers include all benefits listed for prior tiers.

There is an additional fifth tier, Platinum for Life, which can be obtained after 10 consecutive years of Platinum membership. After the Platinum for Life status is obtained, re-qualification is not required.

Level Miles can be earned with Air France, KLM, Air Europa, Kenya Airways, TAROM, and other SkyTeam partners.

The most notable accident involving a KLM aircraft was the 1977 Tenerife airport disaster, which led to 583 fatalities.

The Tenerife disaster, which occurred on 27 March 1977, remains the accident with the highest number of airliner passenger fatalities.

583 people died when a KLM Boeing 747-206B attempted to take off without clearance, and collided with a taxiing Pan Am 747-121 at Los Rodeos Airport on the Canary Island of Tenerife, Spain.

No one on the KLM 747 survived while 61 of the 396 passengers and crew on the Pan Am aircraft survived. Pilot error from the KLM aircraft was the primary cause.

Owing to a communication misunderstanding, the KLM captain thought he had clearance for takeoff. Another cause was dense fog, meaning the KLM flight crew was unable to see the Pan Am aircraft on the runway until immediately prior to the collision.

The accident had a lasting influence on the industry, particularly in the area of communication. An increased emphasis was placed on using standardized phraseology in air traffic control (ATC) communication by both controllers and pilots alike, thereby reducing the chance for misunderstandings.

As part of these changes, the word "takeoff" was removed from general usage, and is only spoken by ATC when actually clearing an aircraft to take off.

On 24 April 1923, Fokker F.III H-NABS departed Lympne for Rotterdam and Amsterdam. The aircraft was not heard from again. It was presumed to have crashed into the sea, killing the pilot and both passengers.

On 25 June 1925, Fokker F.III H-NABM struck trees and crashed at Locquignol, France while flying too low in poor visibility, killing all four on board.

On 9 July 1926, Fokker F.VII H-NACC crashed in thick fog near Wolverthem, Belgium, killing both pilots.

On 22 August 1927, Fokker F.VIII H-NADU crashed near Sevenoaks, England. One crewmember was killed.

On 14 July 1928, Fokker F.III H-NABR crashed at Waalhaven after striking several ship masts after takeoff; one passenger drowned when the fuselage sank.

On 20 December 1934, KLM Douglas DC-2 PH-AJU "Uiver" crashed at Rutbah Wells, Iraq, killing all occupants. The aircraft had participated in the Mac Robertson Air Race in October 1934, and won the handicap division.

It was on its first flight after return from the race and was en route to the Netherlands East Indies carrying Christmas mail when it crashed.

On 6 April 1935, KLM Fokker F.XII PH-AFL "Leeuwerik" struck a mountain 15 km (9 mi) from Brilon, Germany after it encountered severe snow and thunderstorms, killing all seven on board.

On 14 July 1935, KLM Fokker F.XXII PH-AJQ "Kwikstaart" crashed and burned just outside Schiphol after both left side engines failed due to a defect in the fuel system, killing four crew and two passengers. Fourteen occupants survived.

On 20 July 1935, KLM Douglas DC-2 PH-AKG "Gaai" crashed near the San Bernardino Pass near Pian San Giacomo, killing all three crew and all 10 passengers.

On 9 December 1936, KLM Douglas DC-2 PH-AKL "Lijster" crashed into a house after taking off from Croydon Airport, London. The accident killed 15 of the 17 people on board the aircraft.

On 3 April 1937, KLM Douglas DC-3 PH-ALP "Pluvier" was being delivered to KLM when it struck Mount Baldy, Arizona, killing all eight on board.

On 28 July 1937, KLM Douglas DC-2 PH-ALF "Flamingo" crashed in a field near Beert, Belgium. The crash was caused by an in-flight fire and killed all 15 on board.

On 6 October 1937, KLM Douglas DC-3 PH-ALS "Specht" crashed on take-off from Talang Betoetoe Airport, killing three crew and one passenger; the co-pilot and seven passengers survived.

On 14 November 1938, KLM Douglas DC-3 PH-ARY "IJsvogel" struck the ground and crashed near Schiphol Airport for unknown reasons, killing six of 19 on board.

On 9 December 1938, KLM Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra PH-APE "Ekster" crashed on take-off from Schiphol Airport because of engine failure while on a training flight, killing the four crew.

On 10 June 1939, KLM Koolhoven F.K.43 "Krekel" stalled and crashed at Vlissingen, killing all three on board.

On 28 December 1941, KNILM Douglas DC-3 PK-ALN "Nandoe" (formerly KLM PH-ALN) was destroyed on the ground by Japanese fighters at Medan, North Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, killing all crew members and passengers.

On 1 June 1943, KLM Douglas DC-3 PH-ALI "Ibis", which had escaped the Dutch occupation and was operating under lease to BOAC, operating BOAC Flight 777, was shot down by eight German Junkers Ju 88 fighters over the Bay of Biscay while on the scheduled Lisbon-Bristol route.

All 13 passengers and four KLM crew perished. The aircraft had survived attacks in November 1942 and April 1943.

On 14 November 1946, a KLM Douglas C-47 crashed at Schiphol Airport during a failed landing in poor weather. All 21 passengers, including the Dutch writer Herman de Man, and the five crew were killed.

On 26 January 1947, KLM Douglas DC-3 PH-TCR crashed after take-off from Copenhagen, killing all 22 on board, including Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden.

On 20 October 1948, KLM Lockheed L-049 Constellation PH-TEN "Nijmegen" crashed near Prestwick, Scotland, killing all 40 aboard.

On 23 June 1949, KLM Lockheed L-749 Constellation PH-TER "Roermond", piloted by Hans Plesman—the son of CEO Albert Plesman—crashed into the sea off Bari, killing 33 occupants.

On 12 July 1949, KLM Lockheed L-749 Constellation PH-TDF "Franeker" crashed into a 674-foot (205 m) hill in Ghatkopar near Bombay, India, killing all 45 aboard. Thirteen of those killed were American news correspondents.

On 2 February 1950, KLM Douglas C-47A PH-TEU crashed in the North Sea 40 mi (64 km) off the Dutch coast due to an apparent in-flight fire, killing all seven on board. The aircraft was operating an Amsterdam-London passenger service.

On 22 March 1952, Flight 592, a Douglas DC-6 (PH-TBJ "Koningin Juliana") crashed at Frankfurt, killing 45 of the 47 occupants.

On 23 August 1954, Flight 608, a Douglas DC-6B (PH-DFO, "Willem Bontekoe") crashed between Shannon, Ireland, and Schiphol in the North Sea, 40 kilometres (25 mi) from IJmuiden for reasons unknown. All 21 passengers and crew died.

On 5 September 1954, Flight 633, a Lockheed Super Constellation, ditched in the River Shannon after takeoff from Shannon Airport. Twenty eight of the 56 people on board, 46 passengers and 10 crew were killed.

On 14 July 1957, Flight 844, a Lockheed Super Constellation, crashed in the sea near Biak, after takeoff from Mokmer Airport at Biak on its way to Manila.

The pilot made a low farewell pass over the island, but the aircraft lost altitude, crashed into the sea and exploded. Nine crew and 49 passengers died; there were 10 survivors.

On 14 August 1958, Flight 607-E, a Lockheed Super Constellation flying from Amsterdam to New York via Shannon, crashed into the ocean 180 kilometres (110 mi) off the coast of County Galway, Ireland, killing all 99 on board.

On 12 June 1961, Flight 823, a Lockheed L-188 Electra, crashed on approach to Cairo International Airport due to pilot error, killing 20 of 36 on board.

On 25 October 1968, KLM Aerocarto Douglas C-47A PH-DAA flew into Tafelberg Mountain, Suriname, following an engine failure while on a survey flight. The aircraft collided with the mountain in cloudy conditions, killing three of the five people on board.

On 26 October 1921, KLM Fokker F.III (H-NABL) crashed while on approach to Rotterdam from London. The aircraft landed in low visibility, struck the ground and crashed upside down.

The pilot, the sole occupant, survived and although the aircraft was written off, it was rebuilt and re-registered H-NABR and returned to service, but was destroyed in a 1928 crash.

On 17 July 1935, KLM DC-2 (PH-AKM, "Maraboe") crashed near Bushehr, Iran. All occupants were rescued.

On 2 June 1939, KLM DC-2 (PH-AKN, "Nachtegaal") crashed at Schiphol Airport during a single-engine training flight, killing one person on the ground; all four crew survived.

The aircraft was rebuilt and returned to service until it was destroyed in a German air raid on 10 May 1940.

On 10 May 1940, during the German invasion of the Netherlands, nine KLM aircraft - five DC-2's and four DC-3's were destroyed in a German air raid at Schiphol Airport by aircraft from KG 4.

On 15 November 1942, KLM DC-3 (PH-ALI, "Ibis"), which had escaped the Dutch occupation and was operating under lease to BOAC as G-AGBB, was attacked by a Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighter.

The aircraft was able to land in Lisbon where repairs were carried out. The port wing, engine nacelle and fuselage were damaged by cannon and machine gun fire.

On 19 April 1943, KLM DC-3 (PH-ALI, "Ibis") was attacked by six Bf 110 fighters. Captain Koene Dirk Parmentier evaded the attackers by dropping to 50 ft (15 m) above the ocean and then climbing steeply into the clouds.

The aircraft again sustained damage to the port aileron, shrapnel to the fuselage and a fuel tank. A new wingtip was flown to Lisbon to complete repairs. Despite these attacks, BOAC continued to fly the Lisbon–Whitchurch route. The aircraft was later destroyed in the crash of Flight 777-A.

On 6 November 1946, KLM Douglas DC-3 (PH-TBO) crashed near Shere on approach to Croydon Airport after a flight from Amsterdam. All 20 passengers and crew survived the accident.

On 27 December 1947, KLM C-47 (PH-TCV) crashed near Leeuwarden after the left wing struck a church steeple; the aircraft belly-landed and skidded across some ditches which broke off both propellers. All 15 on board survived.

On 16 June 1948, KLM Douglas DC-4 (PH-TCF, "Friesland") landed short of the runway, bounced and landed hard on the runway at Schiphol Airport due to pilot error. All 27 passengers and crew survived. The pilot had come in too low and too slow.

On 23 March 1952, KLM Lockheed Constellation (PH-TFF, "Venlo") suffered a propeller failure and subsequent engine fire during landing in Bangkok.

All 44 passengers and crew escaped shortly before the fire completely consumed the aircraft. A Thai ground crewman ran into the burning aircraft and returned with an infant who had been left behind.

On 1 January 1953, KLM C-54 (PH-TDL) force-landed in the desert 17 miles from Dhahran Airport due to fuel exhaustion after the crew diverted twice due to poor visibility. All 66 passengers and crew on board survived.

On 25 May 1953, KLM Convair 240 (PH-TEI, "Paulus Potter") lost altitude just after takeoff from Schiphol Airport. The aircraft belly-landed on the runway and slid off, crossed a road and came to rest in a field.

All 34 passengers and crew survived, however two people who were watching the aircraft died when the aircraft crossed the road.

On 11 June 1961, KLM Douglas DC-7C (PH-DSN) lost an engine at 17,000 feet over the Atlantic en route to Amsterdam from Windsor Locks; the aircraft landed safely at Prestwick with no casualties to the 81 passengers and crew on board.

On 25 November 1973, Flight 861 was hijacked over Iraq by Palestinian terrorists. The aircraft took off in Amsterdam and was bound for Tokyo. After several hours it made its final landing in Dubai.

The passengers were released earlier in Malta. Everyone survived the hijacking.

On 4 September 1976, Flight 366, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-33RC (PH-DNM) flying from Malaga to Amsterdam with an intermediate stop in Nice, was hijacked shortly after takeoff from Nice by Palestinian terrorists.

After aborted attempts to land in Tunis, the aircraft landed in Larnaca, Cyprus. After refueling, the hijackers attempted to reach Palestine before the aircraft was turned around by Israeli F4 Phantoms.

After returning to Cyprus, the passengers were released unharmed and the hijackers surrendered.

On 3 June 1983, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 (PH-DTE, "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart") was substantially damaged after landing at Panama City International Airport.

During landing, the aircraft veered off the runway into muddy ground. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane sustained damage. After repair the plane was put back into service.

On 15 December 1989, Flight 867 flew through a volcanic plume causing nearly US$80 million of damage to the brand-new Boeing 747-406M. The plane landed in Anchorage, Alaska, with no reported injuries or fatalities.

On 28 November 2004, Flight 1673, a Boeing 737-400 (PH-BTC), suffered a birdstrike upon rotation from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

The aircraft continued onwards to Barcelona International Airport, where the nose gear collapsed. No injuries or casualties were reported. The aircraft was written off.

On 24 September 2017, a Boeing 777 leaving Kansai International Airport lost a 4 kg fuselage panel falling into the city of Osaka smashing a car window.

The aircraft landed safely at Amsterdam Airport, and no injuries or fatalities were reported.

PLEASE FLY WITH KLM



Tourism Observer

KENYA: Kenya Airways, Air France And KLM In Partnership - Higher Fuel Costs Reason For KQ High Losses

Air France has formally joined the Kenya Airways and KLM joint venture (JV), as the French carrier launched direct flights between Nairobi and Paris.

The new agreement, which was signed Monday, allows passengers to connect to 26 and 57 other destinations beyond Nairobi and Paris, respectively.

Air France, which merged with KLM in 2004, will operate three weekly flights between Nairobi and Paris.

The airline will fly the latest-generation Boeing 787 on this route, the Dreamliner with 30 seats in Business class, 20 in Premium Economy class and 225 seats in Economy class.

Air France, KLM and KQ customers will also reserve flights operated on a code share basis by one of the three airlines on Amsterdam and Nairobi routes following signing of the partnership.

We are back on the Nairobi and Paris route because of the growing economic ties between the two countries.

To date, we have over 80 French companies that have selected Nairobi as their regional hub and this is one of the many opportunities we are looking to tap.

Our latest route will serve to strengthen our African routes, said Air France, senior vice president Africa, Frank Legre.

The agreement allows the three carriers to conduct concerted marketing and sales activities, align and coordinate pricing of tickets as well as exchange of staff in select areas.

KLM and KQ entered into a master co-operation agreement in 1995, which has seen them share revenues on certain routes based on a pre-determined ratio after deducting expenses.

We are accelerating our offensive on the long haul flights by forging partnerships and new alliances. We are set to unveil new routes and partnerships soon said Air France, Executive Vice President, Customer Division, Anne Rigail.

Meanwhile, Kenya Airways is set to introduce a more spacious but higher-priced Economy class on its nine Dreamliner aircraft in a bid to grow its revenues.

The national carrier, known as KQ by its international code, says it will increase the recline angle and legroom on 27 seats currently assigned to Economy class and charge up to Sh10,200 more for the convenience.

KQ made the announcement Wednesday when reporting that its revenue for the nine months to December stood at Sh80.8 billion and that its net loss for the period was Sh6.1 billion.

Any time one of the aircraft is grounded for an extended period, we shall make the necessary adjustments to the first three rows in Economy, said Vincent Coste, KQ’s chief commercial officer.

Customers can book these seats for between $50 and $100 depending on the season and length of the flight.

Airlines have over the years increasingly paid more attention to business class customers who pay significantly higher than their fellow passengers on the same trip.

Offerings such as bars and lie-flat beds aimed at increasing the cabin space for this special set of passengers have, inevitably, disenfranchised those who sit in Economy class.

KQ is now looking to book extra ancillary revenue from this new offering which it says has proved successful including among its partner airlines such as KLM and Air France.

Dreamliners are the commonly used aircraft on long-haul routes such as Europe and the upcoming one to New York hence KQ’s decision to retrofit for extra comfort to woe customers.

This aircraft has 30 seats in Premier World or Business class and 204 in Economy.

At the moment, the airline charges between Sh3,100 and Sh11,780 for passengers in need of seats with extra legroom, with the cost varying depending on the length of the flight and your loyalty programme ranking.

National carrier Kenya Airways’ shareholder value has moved into positive territory riding on last year’s balance sheet restructuring that reduced its annual debt payment obligations, leaving room to revamp its operations.

KQ’s equity position stood at Sh417 million in the nine months between April and December 2017 compared to negative Sh45 billion in the year to March 2017, according to a financial report that was released.

The change in fortunes follows a complex restructuring of the business that saw Kenya Airways main creditors, 10 commercial banks and the government convert Sh44.2 billion loans into equity to save it from total collapse.

Financial results that were released on Wednesday, however, show that Kenya Airways is still a multi-billion shilling loss-making operation that produced a Sh6.08 billion loss for the nine months to December 2017.

The results do not have a comparable period because KQ has changed its reporting period from March to the calendar year.

Michael Joseph, who chairs the company’s board, said the change in reporting cycle has been done to sync the airline’s books with those of stakeholders such as travel agents, financiers and lessors.

We are now concentrated on the industrial restructuring of the business, which includes finding ways of increasing our revenues and keeping costs at a manageable level, he said.

KQ’s precarious equity position that left it with less assets than its debt load meant that if it were to be liquidated, shareholders would be left with nothing.

Kenya Airways’ total debt now stands at Sh139.6 billion compared to total assets of Sh140.1 billion.

The airline made loan repayments of Sh9.1 billion during the period under review, a significant drop from the Sh25 billion paid out in the full year to March 2017.

Despite this improvement in its leverage, the carrier posted a loss for the nine months to December mainly driven by a 14 per cent increase in fuel costs and a 20 per cent drop in customer numbers.

KQ airlifted 3.4 million passengers during the nine months to December earning Sh80.8 billion in revenues but its operating costs consumed Sh79.5 billion.

Sebastian Mikosz, the airline’s chief executive, said attention is now turning to route expansion, cost optimisation and improvement of service delivery.

Top on the list are the direct and daily New York flights set to commence in October and which Mr Mikosz expects to boost KQ’s revenues by between eight and 10 per cent.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has posted a Sh6.1 billion net loss for the nine months to December as it announced a change in its financial calendar to sync with the calendar year.

The national carrier's management has attributed the loss position to higher fuel costs and the negative impact of a prolonged electioneering period.

Fuel costs, which went up 14 per cent in the period, remain the biggest challenge to KQ's profitability.

However, the airline is optimistic of 2018's outlook amid a planned rollout of daily flights between Nairobi and New York this October, non-stop flights to Cape town and direct flights to Mauritius.

Chief executive Sébastian Mikosz said the full financial impact of the new US route will be felt in 2019, adding he expects a revenue boost of between 8 and 10 per cent.

The firm will be recalling its Dreamliner from Oman Air to serve this long haul route.

Kenya Airways will, in partnership with its European partners, roll out economy comfort class on all aircraft in the next 12-15 months as part of its strategy to increase revenues.

Michael Joseph, KQ's chairman, said Wednesday at an investors' briefing that Polish consultants are still part of the team alongside consultants from other countries, adding that focus on the Polish misplaced.



Tourism Observer