What is Klm?

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
IATA KL	ICAO KLM	Callsign KLM
Founded		1919
Hubs		Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Frequent flyer program		Flying Blue
Member lounge		KLM Crown Lounge
Alliance		SkyTeam
Fleet size		107 (+19 orders)
Destinations		250
Parent company		Air France-KLM
Company slogan		The Reliable Airline
Headquarters		Amstelveen, The Netherlands
Key people		P. F. Hartman (CEO), F. Gagey (CFO)
Website: [1]

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (in full: Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij, literally Royal Aviation Company; usual English: Royal Dutch Airlines) is an airline subsidiary of Air France-KLM based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It operates domestic and worldwide scheduled passenger and cargo services to over 90 destinations. Its main base is Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.^[1]

Prior to its merger with Air France, KLM was the national airline of the Netherlands. KLM is the oldest airline in the world still operating under its original name. It has 30,118 employees (at March 2007).^[1]

Air France merged with KLM in May 2004, resulting in the creation of Air France-KLM. Air France-KLM is incorporated under French law and its headquarters are located at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport near Paris. Air France-KLM is the largest airline company in the world in terms of operating revenues, and the third largest in the world (largest in Europe) in terms of revenue-passenger-kilometres (RPKs).^[2] Both Air France and KLM continue to fly under their distinct brand names.^[1]

Air France-KLM is part of the SkyTeam alliance with Delta Air Lines, Aeroméxico, Korean Air, Czech Airlines, Alitalia, Northwest Airlines, Aeroflot and Continental Airlines.

History

KLM was founded on October 7, 1919, making it the oldest carrier in the world still operating under its original name. The first KLM flight was on May 17, 1920, with a flight from London Northolt to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport carrying two English journalists and a number of newspapers. It was flown by an Aircraft Transport and Travel Airco de Havilland DH16, callsign G-EALU, piloted by Jerry Shaw. In 1920 KLM carried 440 passengers and 22 tons of freight. In 1921 KLM started regularly scheduled services. By 1926 they were offering flights to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Brussels, Paris, London, Bremen, Copenhagen, and Malmo; using primarily Fokker F2 & F3.

Intercontinental service to the Netherlands East Indies (today's Republic of Indonesia) started in 1929 using Fokker F7-B, although the first non-scheduled KLM flight had been made in 1924 by Fokker F7 registration H-NACC piloted by van der Hoop. In 1930 KLM carried 15,143 passengers. The first transatlantic KLM route was between Amsterdam and Curaçao in December 1934 using the Fokker F-XVIII "Snip." On May 21, 1946, KLM was the first continental European airline to launch scheduled service to New York. In 1950 KLM carried 356,069 passengers. On 25 July 1957 the airline introduced its first flight simulator for the Douglas DC7C, the last KLM aircraft with piston engines which was used for the opening of the first trans-polar route from Amsterdam-Tokyo on November 1, 1958.

In March 1960, KLM introduced the first Douglas DC-8 jet aircraft into the its fleet. In 1966 KLM introduced the Douglas DC9 on European and Middle East routes. The new Schiphol Airport opened in April 1967 and in 1968 the Douglas DC8-63 entered service, with 244 seats the largest aircraft at the time. KLM was the first airline to put the higher gross-weight Boeing 747-200B in to service in February 1971 with Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines, beginning the era of widebody jets. In 1980 KLM carried 9,715,069 passengers. In 1983, KLM reached a deal with Boeing to convert some of its Boeing 747-200s to SUD (stretched upper deck) configuration. This consisted of returning the aircraft to the Boeing factory in Everett,Washington. The work started in 1984 and finished in 1986, the aircraft became Boeing 747-200SUD, which the airline operated in addition to Boeing 747-300 aircraft. In June 1989, KLM introduced the first Boeing 747-400. Later that year, in July, KLM acquired 20% of Northwest Airlines, eventually forming a strong alliance between the two airlines. In 1990 KLM carried 16,000,000 passengers. In March 1994 both KLM and Northwest Airlines introduced World Business Class on intercontinental routes, and in July 1995, KLM introduced its first Boeing 767-300ER.

In March and June 2002, KLM announced that it would be renewing its intercontinental fleets by replacing the Boeing 767s, Boeing 747-300s, and eventually the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 with Boeing 777-200ERs and Airbus A330-200s. The first Boeing 777 was received on October 25, 2003, entering commercial service on the Amsterdam-New York route, while the first Airbus A330-200 was introduced on August 25, 2005 and entered commercial service on the Amsterdam-Washington Dulles route.

As of March 2007 KLM started using the Amadeus reservation system, along with partner Kenya Airways.

Corporate organization

KLM is listed on the stock exchanges of Amsterdam, New York and Paris.

Subsidiaries:

• KLM Cityhopper (formerly: NLM Cityhopper)
• KLM Cargo
• KLM Asia - See KLM Asia
• KLM Flight Academy
• Transavia Airlines, wholly owned Low Cost Subsidiary of KLM
• 50% share in Martinair, other 50% owned by Maersk, after taking over P&O Nedlloyd
• 26% share in Kenya Airways ,

Former subsidiaries:

• KLM Helicopters
• KLM uk was a KLM subsidiary until merged with KLM Cityhopper.
• Buzz, the low-cost airline of KLM uk
• KLM exel, a commuter airline.

Merger

On 30 September 2003, Air France and KLM announced that they would in future be known as Air France-KLM. This entity was first offered on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange on 5 May 2004. The takeover of KLM by Air France marked the end of the oldest independent airline in the world. The Royal adjective will likely remain for the foreseeable future. Its independent identity is guaranteed to 2008, but eventually it is anticipated that its operations will be merged into those of the French company. In the meantime, it does not appear that KLM's longstanding joint venture with Northwest Airlines will be affected. Both KLM and Northwest joined the SkyTeam alliance in September 2004.

Presidents - CEOs

• Albert Plesman (1919 - 1953)
• Fons Aler (1953 - 1961)
• Ernst van der Beugel (1961-1963)
• Horatius Albarda (1963 - 1965)
• Gerrit van der Wal (1965 - 1973)
• Sergio Orlandini (1973-1987)
• Jan de Soet (1987 - 1991)
• Pieter Bouw (1991 - 1997)
• L. M. van Wijk (1997 - 2007)
• Peter Hartman (2007 - present)

KLM Delft Blue houses

Since 1952 KLM has presented its first class and since 1993 its Business Class passengers with small Delftware, blue and white porcelain reproductions of old Dutch canal houses, which are filled with Bols jenever liquor.^[3] There are 87 different houses, each numbered and representing the number of years the KLM is in operation. Each year a new house is presented and will receive the next consecutive number. All houses are reproductions of actual historic houses in the Netherlands or its former colonies and are now collectibles.

Destinations

Main article: KLM destinations

Fleet

The KLM fleet consists of the following aircraft

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Fleet

Aircraft	Total	Passengers (Europe Select*/Economy)	Routes	Notes
Airbus A330-200	9 (1 order)	251 (30/221)	Africa, Middle East, North America and Europe (one daily London Heathrow flight)
Boeing 737-300	14	127 (39/88)	Europe
Boeing 737-400	13	147 (39/108)	Europe
Boeing 737-700	(7 orders) (7 options)		Europe
Boeing 737-800	15 (7 orders)	171 (54/117)	Europe
Boeing 737-900	5	189 (51/138)	Europe
Boeing 747-400	22	Standard 428 (42/386) ———————————— Passengers & Cargo 280 (42/238)	Africa, Mexico, Asia, North America, Caribbean and South America
Boeing 747-400ERF	4	Cargo	Asia	One aircraft operated by Air France Cargo until 2008
Boeing 777-200ER	15	327 (35/292)	Africa, Asia, North America and South America
Boeing 777-300ER	(4 orders)	428 (35/393)		Entry into service: 2008
McDonnell-Douglas MD-11	10	294 (24/270)	Africa, Caribbean, North America, Asia

The average age of the KLM fleet is 10.6 years as of September 2007. ^[4]

• The Boeing customer code for KLM is x06 (ex. 747-406, 737-906)
• KLM has announced that it has converted 3 of its remaining 4 Boeing 777-200ER orders to 777-300ER airframes in addition to a single fresh order. KLM plans to have 2 Boeing 777-300ERs introduced into its fleet in 2008.
• The orders for the Airbus A330-200, as well as the Boeing 777-200ER will be replacements for the Boeing 767-300ER and McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft, but KLM is also considering adding the Boeing 787 or the Airbus A350. KLM has expressed little interest in the Airbus A380.
• Boeing has revealed that KLM has converted six options for Boeing 737-800 aircraft into firm orders for delivery in 2008. They will replace older Boeing 737 models which will be retired from service.^[5]
• KLM is now awaiting the 777-300ER, which the first of four will be delivered somewhere in February 2008.

Cabin

KLM offers Business Class and Economy class on its aircraft. On shorthaul aircraft, Flexible Economy Class is called Europe Select, while on longhaul aircraft Business Class is called World Business Class.

World Business Class

World Business Class offers a 60 inch pitch on all longhaul aircraft. The Boeing 777-200ER and Airbus A330-200 aircraft offer a 170 degree angled lie-flat seat with a 10.4" TV monitor with AVOD (Audio Video on Demand), email/text messaging, a privacy canopy, a massage function, and laptop power ports. Boeing 747-400 and McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft offer cradle seats with a 150 degree recline and personal TVs offering 12 channels of video and 12 channels of audio,. All WBC seats offer personal reading lamps, leg/foot rests, and personal telephones (on the back of the game console on the Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 aircraft). The Boeing 747-400 and McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft are being configured with the new World Business Class seats as well as new inflight entertainment in economy, although this upgrade will not include personal televisions in economy. Pre-departure perks include a fully flexible reservation, check-in desks, lounge access, priority boarding, and 150% Flying Blue miles. Onboard, passengers are treated to a three course meal with menus, pre-departure beverages, and snacks, which are available throughout the flight.

Europe Select

Europe Select is offered on all Boeing 737 aircraft, is KLM's premium product on shorter sectors, offering a 33 inch pitch, a meal service on board (hot or cold meals depend on the length of the flight), priority boarding, extra baggage allowance, double Flying Blue miles, and fully flexible booking.

KLM Economy

KLM Economy offers a 31" pitch on all longhaul aircraft except the Airbus A330-200, which offers a 32" pitch. Boeing 777-200ER and Airbus A330-200 aircraft offer personal TVs with AVOD and personal telephones on the back of the gaming console, headrests, and an email/text messaging function. All other longhaul aircraft offer mainscreen movies. KLM Cityhopper aircraft offer no entertainment.

KLM Asia

KLM Asia (荷蘭亞洲航空公司) is a wholly KLM owned subsidiary, registered in Taiwan. The airline was established in 1995 in order to operate flights to Taipei, without compromising its landing rights in the People's Republic of China, which regards Taiwan as part of its territory.

KLM Asia's livery does not feature Dutch national symbols, such as the Dutch flag, nor a stylised Dutch Crown. Instead, it features a Chinese name:荷蘭亞洲航空公司, and the KLM Asia logo.

KLM Asia fleet

KLM Asia has 6 Boeing 747-400 Combis.

• PH-BFC - City of Calgary
• PH-BFD - City of Dubai
• PH-BFF - City of Freetown
• PH-BFH - City of Hong Kong
• PH-BFM - Mexico City
• PH-BFP - City of Paramaribo

Incidents and accidents

• On December 20, 1934, a KLM Douglas DC-2, PH-AJU "Uiver", crashed at Rutbah Wells, Iraq - but all survived.
• On July 14, 1935, a KLM Fokker F.XXII PH-AJQ "Kwikstaart" crashed and burned just outside Schiphol, killing four crew and two passengers - 14 other occupants survived.
• On July 20, 1935, a KLM Douglas DC-2, PH-AKG "Gaai" crashed in an Alpine pass near San Bernardino, killing all three crew and all ten passengers.^[6]
• In June 1942 the KLM DC-3 'Ibis', flight 777 was shot down by German fighter planes over the Bay of Biscay on its scheduled route from Lisbon to Bristol. The plane was carrying the actor Leslie Howard. The wreckage, crew and passengers were never found.
• On January 26, 1947, a KLM Douglas Dakota, PH-TCR, crashed after takeoff from Copenhagen, killing all 22 onboard, including Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden.
• On October 20, 1948, a KLM Lockheed Constellation, PH-TEN "Nijmegen", crashed near Prestwick, Scotland, killing all 40 aboard. (see KLM Constellation air disaster 1948)
• On July 12, 1949, a KLM Lockheed Constellation, PH-TDF "Franeker", crashed into a 674 ft high Ghatkopar hill near Bombay, India, killing all 45 aboard. Thirteen of the dead were American news correspondents.
• On March 22, 1952, a KLM Douglas DC-7 PH-TBJ crashed in Frankfurt, killing 42 of 47 occupants http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi-bin/view_details.cgi?date=03221952®=PH-TBJ&airline=KLM+Royal+Dutch+Airlines.
• On March 23, 1952, a 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 plane. A Thai ground crewman ran into the burning aircraft and returned with an infant who had been left behind.^[7]
• On September 5, 1954, KLM Flight 633, a Lockheed Super Constellation, PH-LKY "Triton", ditched in the River Shannon after takeoff from Shannon Airport in Ireland. 28 out of 56 people on board (46 passengers and 10 crew) were killed.
• On March 27, 1977, KLM Flight 4805, a Boeing 747-206B, PH-BUF "Rhine" & Pan Am Flight 1736, a Boeing 747-121, N736PA "Clipper Victor", collided at Tenerife North Airport on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, killing 583 people. The incident is still the worst accident in aviation history.
• On December 15, 1989, KLM Flight 867, a Boeing B747-400, PH-BFC flew through a Volcanic Plume causing nearly US$80 million worth of damage to the aircraft. The plane landed safely in Anchorage, Alaska with no reported injuries or fatalities.^[8]

Gallery

References

External links

• KLM
• Air France KLM Finance
• KLM Delft houses history

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