KLM facts for kids
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| Founded | 7 October 1919 |
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| Hubs | Amsterdam Airport Schiphol |
| Frequent-flyer program | Flying Blue |
| Alliance | SkyTeam |
| Subsidiaries |
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| Fleet size | 107 |
| Destinations | 164 |
| Parent company | Air France–KLM |
| Headquarters | Amstelveen, Netherlands |
| Key people | Marjan Rintel (President & CEO) |
| Revenue | €11.679 billion (2022) |
| Operating income | €875 million (2019) |
| Employees | 35,410 (2019) |
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is the national airline of the Netherlands. It's based in Amstelveen, with its main hub at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. KLM is part of the Air France–KLM group and a member of the SkyTeam airline alliance.
Founded in 1919, KLM is the oldest airline in the world that is still operating under its original name! It has many employees and a large fleet of aircraft. KLM flies passengers and cargo to over 145 places around the world.
Contents
History of KLM
How it all started
In 1919, a young pilot named Albert Plesman organized an aviation show in Amsterdam. Over half a million people came to see it! After the show, some Dutch business people decided to create a Dutch airline. They chose Plesman to lead it.
In September 1919, Queen Wilhelmina gave the new airline the special title "Royal" (Koninklijke). So, on October 7, 1919, KLM was officially founded. It was one of the very first commercial airlines ever! Albert Plesman became its first leader.
KLM's first flight happened on May 17, 1920. The pilot, Jerry Shaw, flew from London to Amsterdam. He used a plane called a de Havilland DH-16. It carried two journalists and some newspapers. In its first year, KLM flew 440 passengers and 22 tons of cargo.
Growing the routes
KLM made its first long-distance test flight on October 1, 1924. It flew all the way to Jakarta (then called 'Batavia') in the Dutch East Indies (which is now Indonesia). This flight used a Fokker F.VII plane.
Inspired by this, KLM started regular flights between Amsterdam and Batavia in September 1929. Before World War II began in 1939, this was the longest scheduled airplane route in the world! By 1926, KLM was flying to many cities in Europe like London, Paris, and Copenhagen.
In 1930, KLM carried over 15,000 passengers. They started using the Douglas DC-2 plane for the Batavia route in 1934. KLM also made its first test flight across the Atlantic Ocean in December 1934, flying from Amsterdam to Curaçao.
The first Douglas DC-3 planes joined KLM's fleet in 1936. These planes replaced the DC-2s on the long route to Batavia and then to Sydney. KLM was also the first airline to serve Manchester Airport in England, starting in June 1938.
World War II
When World War II began in September 1939, KLM's flights were limited. Flights over France and Germany were not allowed. Many of their planes were painted bright orange to avoid being mistaken for military aircraft.
When Germany invaded the Netherlands in May 1940, some KLM planes were flying far from home. Five DC-3s and one DC-2 were taken to Britain. During the war, these planes and their crews flew passenger flights between Bristol and Lisbon for BOAC.
Sadly, on March 3, 1942, a KLM Douglas DC-3 plane called "Pelikaan" was shot down over Western Australia by Japanese fighter planes. It was carrying diamonds. Three passengers and the flight engineer died.
Another KLM plane, a Douglas DC-3 called "Ibis," was attacked by German planes three times. It was finally shot down on June 1, 1943, as BOAC Flight 777, and everyone on board died. Even though flights stopped in Europe, KLM continued to fly and grow in the Caribbean during the war.
After World War II
After World War II ended in August 1945, KLM quickly began to rebuild its flight network. A top priority was to restart the route to Batavia, which was done by the end of 1945. Flights within Europe and the Netherlands also started again in September 1945.
On May 21, 1946, KLM became the first European airline to start regular flights across the Atlantic Ocean, flying between Amsterdam and New York City. By 1948, KLM had rebuilt its network and was flying to Africa, North and South America, and the Caribbean.
New, larger planes like the Lockheed Constellation and Douglas DC-6 joined KLM's fleet in the late 1940s. The Convair 240 started flying European routes for the company in late 1948.
In 1950, KLM carried over 356,000 passengers. The airline kept adding new destinations in the 1950s, especially in North America. KLM was the first European airline to fly the Lockheed L-188 Electra.
On December 31, 1953, KLM's founder, Albert Plesman, passed away. The airline then went through a tough economic time. It was also expensive to switch to new jet aircraft. The Dutch government increased its ownership of KLM to two-thirds, but the company was still managed by private shareholders.
On July 25, 1957, KLM started using a flight simulator for its Douglas DC-7C planes. On November 1, 1958, they opened a new route over the North Pole from Amsterdam to Tokyo. Crews flying this polar route even carried a special winter survival kit, including a rifle to protect against polar bears, just in case of an emergency landing on the ice!
The Jet Age
The four-engine turboprop Vickers Viscount 800 started flying on European routes in 1957. In March 1960, KLM introduced its first Douglas DC-8 jet into its fleet. This was a big step into the jet age!
In 1961, KLM had its first year of financial losses. The company went through some leadership changes and reorganizations to help it recover. By 1966, the Dutch government's ownership in KLM was reduced to less than half, allowing it to be run more like a private company again. In 1966, KLM also introduced the Douglas DC-9 for European and Middle East flights.
New terminal buildings opened at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in April 1967. In 1968, the larger Douglas DC-8-63 ("Super DC-8") began service. With 244 seats, it was the biggest airliner flying at the time.
On March 6, 1967, KLM ordered its first Boeing 747 aircraft. This marked the beginning of KLM using large "widebody" planes. KLM was the first airline to use the 747-200B model, starting on February 14, 1971. In March 1971, KLM opened its current main office in Amstelveen. In 1972, they bought their first McDonnell Douglas DC-10 planes.
In 1973, Sergio Orlandini became KLM's president. He suggested converting some KLM 747s into "combis." These planes could carry both passengers and cargo on the main deck. The first of these Boeing 747-200BM combi planes joined KLM's fleet in November 1975.
The 1973 oil crisis made things difficult for airlines. KLM needed government help to manage its debts. The government bought more shares, and by the late 1970s, it owned 78% of KLM. However, private shareholders still controlled the company's management.
1980s and 1990s
In 1980, KLM carried over 9.7 million passengers. In 1983, they decided to upgrade ten of their Boeing 747-200 planes by adding a stretched upper deck. These upgraded planes were called Boeing 747-200SUD or 747-300. KLM also received its first Airbus A310 passenger jets in 1983.
In 1986, the Dutch government's ownership in KLM was reduced again to 54.8 percent. The Boeing 747-400 was added to KLM's fleet in June 1989.
Working with other airlines
As air travel became more open in Europe, KLM started to grow its hub at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. They did this by working with other airlines. To expand its global network, KLM bought a 20% share in Northwest Airlines in July 1989. In 1990, KLM carried 16 million passengers!
In December 1991, KLM was the first European airline to start a frequent flyer program for loyal customers. It was called Flying Dutchman.
Joint ventures
In January 1993, KLM and Northwest Airlines were allowed to work together more closely. From September 1993, they operated their flights between the United States and Europe as a joint venture. This meant they shared flights and worked as one team. In March 1994, they introduced "World Business Class" for long-distance flights.
In January 1996, KLM bought a 26% share in Kenya Airways, Kenya's national airline. In August 1998, KLM bought back all the shares from the Dutch government, making KLM a completely private company again.
KLM updated its long-distance planes by replacing older models with Boeing 777-200ERs and Airbus A330-200s. The first Boeing 777 arrived in October 2003, and the first Airbus A330-200 in August 2005.
Air France–KLM merger
On September 30, 2003, Air France and KLM agreed to merge. They would become parts of a new company called Air France–KLM. Both airlines would keep their own names and brands. Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol would become their main hubs.
The merger was approved in February 2004 and completed in September 2004. This created the world's largest airline group at the time! It was expected to save a lot of money each year.
KLM and Northwest Airlines joined the SkyTeam alliance in September 2004.
2010s and beyond
In September 2010, KLM took over the passenger flights of Martinair, another Dutch airline. By November 2011, Martinair only handled cargo and maintenance.
On February 20, 2013, KLM announced that Peter Hartman would step down as CEO. He was replaced by Camiel Eurlings. In 2013, KLM won the "Best Airline Staff Service" award in Europe for the second year in a row!
In June 2012, KLM made the first transatlantic flight that was partly powered by sustainable biofuels. This was the longest distance any aircraft had flown on biofuels at that time.
In 2019, KLM celebrated its 100th birthday! Since it's the oldest airline still operating under its original name, it was the first airline to reach this amazing milestone.
2020s
The COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected KLM. The airline had to cut many jobs. In December 2021, Air France-KLM ordered 100 new Airbus A320neo family planes for KLM and Transavia. In July 2022, KLM had to reduce its summer flight schedule because of problems at airports across Europe.
How KLM is run
Leadership
As of July 2022, KLM's leader is its president and CEO, Marjan Rintel. She is part of a larger Executive Committee that manages KLM. A separate group called the Supervisory Board oversees the company's overall performance.
KLM's main office is in Amstelveen, on a large site near Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The current headquarters building was built between 1968 and 1970.
Other companies KLM owns
KLM owns several other companies that help it operate:
- Transavia Airlines: Another airline.
- KLM Cityhopper: An airline that flies shorter routes.
- KLM Asia: An airline that flies to Taiwan.
- Martinair Holland: A cargo airline.
- EPCOR: A company that does aircraft maintenance.
- KLM Catering Services Schiphol: Provides food for flights.
- KLM Flight Academy: A school for pilots.
- Cygnific: Handles sales and customer service.
KLM Asia
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KLM Asia is a special part of KLM that is registered in Taiwan. It was created in 1995 so KLM could keep flying to Taipei without causing problems with its flight rights to mainland China.
Planes used by KLM Asia look like regular KLM planes, but they don't have the flags of the Netherlands or the European Union. Instead, the Dutch Crown logo is replaced with the "KLM Asia" name.
KLM Asia planes mostly fly the Amsterdam-Taipei-Manila route. Sometimes, they are used for other KLM flights too.
KLM's look and feel
The first KLM logo was designed in 1919. It had the letters K, L, and M intertwined, with wings and a crown. The crown showed that KLM had "Royal" status.
The KLM logo was changed in 1961 and again in 1991. Besides its main logo, KLM also shows its alliance with SkyTeam on its planes.
KLM planes have had several different paint designs over the years. In the past, many planes had a shiny metal body with a stripe that said "The Flying Dutchman." The tail was painted like the Dutch flag.
Since 1971, KLM planes have mostly been painted bright blue. The current design, updated in 2014, features a blue color covering most of the plane and a special swooping blue line around the front.
In April 2010, KLM introduced new uniforms for its flight attendants, ground staff, and pilots. The new uniforms are still KLM blue, but they also have a touch of orange, which is the national color of the Netherlands.
Slogans
KLM has used several catchy phrases to advertise itself:
- "The Flying Dutchman"
- "Bridging the World" (1994)
- "Journeys of Inspiration" (2009–present)
Helping others
In 1999, KLM started a program called KLM AirCares. It helps children in need in developing countries where KLM flies. The airline collects money and frequent flyer miles from passengers to support good causes.
Where KLM flies
KLM and its partner airlines fly to 163 destinations in 70 countries across five continents. Their main hub is Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Because they work with other airlines, you can reach a total of 826 destinations through KLM!
Sharing flights
KLM has agreements with many other airlines to share flights. This means you can book a flight with KLM, but actually fly on a plane operated by one of their partners. Some of these partners include:
- Aeroméxico
- Air France
- China Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Kenya Airways
- Korean Air
- Transavia
- Virgin Atlantic
KLM's planes
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KLM received its first Boeing 787-10 plane on June 28, 2019. This plane had special markings to celebrate KLM's 100th anniversary.
KLM plans to use mainly 777 and 787 planes for its long-distance flights in the future. They will be retiring their older Airbus A330 planes.
In September 2023, Air France-KLM ordered 50 new Airbus A350 planes. These will start flying from 2026 and will replace some of their current long-distance planes.
KLM has some planes with special paint designs:
- PH-BVA, a Boeing 777-300ER, has an orange front that blends into the blue. This celebrates the Netherlands national sports teams.
- PH-KZU, a Fokker F70, had a picture of Anthony Fokker (the founder of Fokker planes) on it. This celebrated KLM's long history with Fokker aircraft.
- Several planes have the silver SkyTeam alliance design.
- PH-BKA, a Boeing 787-10, has a "100" wrapped around the KLM letters to celebrate its 100th birthday.
Inside the planes
KLM has three types of seating for international long-distance flights: World Business Class, Premium Comfort, and Economy. A part of the Economy cabin is called Economy Comfort, which has more legroom. All long-distance planes have personal screens with movies, TV shows, music, games, and even satellite phone and email services.
For shorter flights in Europe, there are Economy seats at the back and Economy Comfort and Europe Business seats at the front.
World Business Class
This is KLM's business class for long flights. The seats can recline into a flat bed. They have personal entertainment systems, privacy screens, and power outlets for laptops.
In March 2013, KLM introduced new World Business Class seats. These new seats lie completely flat and have larger, high-definition entertainment screens. The cabin also has special carpets made from old uniforms!
The newest Business Class seats on KLM's Boeing 787 planes lie fully flat and are arranged so every passenger has direct access to the aisle. They also have a large storage area and a big HD video screen.
Europe Business Class
This is KLM's business class for shorter flights. The seats have extra legroom, and the middle seat in rows of three is kept empty to give passengers more space. There are no personal entertainment screens on these flights.
Premium Comfort
Introduced in 2022, Premium Comfort is a new cabin between Business and Economy. It has larger seats with touch screens, footrests, and more recline and legroom than Economy seats. Passengers in Premium Comfort also get better food and drinks, and special benefits at the airport.
Economy Comfort
Economy Comfort is part of the Economy Class cabin. It gives passengers more legroom and seats that recline further. On long-haul flights, these seats have 4 inches more legroom and double the recline of regular Economy seats. On short-haul flights, they also offer more space.
The service in Economy Comfort is the same as in Economy Class, but you can get off the plane faster. You can reserve these seats for an extra fee, or they might be free if you have a special frequent flyer status.
Economy Class
Economy Class seats on long-haul flights have a good amount of space and are equipped with adjustable headrests and personal TVs with movies, TV shows, and music. Some planes also have power outlets.
Economy Class seats on short-haul flights have less space and no personal entertainment screens.
Services on board
Entertainment and Wi-Fi
KLM's in-flight entertainment system is available on all long-distance planes. It offers movies, TV shows, music, games, and language courses. You can also send text messages and emails from the plane.
KLM provides international newspapers on long-haul flights and for business class passengers on short flights. Everyone gets KLM's in-flight magazine, Holland Herald. On flights to China, South Korea, and Japan, they offer magazines in those languages.
Since May 2013, KLM has been testing WiFi internet access on some of its planes. You can use it with your own devices once the plane reaches a certain height.
Food and drinks
World Business Class passengers get a three-course meal. KLM works with famous Dutch chefs to create these dishes. Europe Business Class passengers get different meals depending on how long the flight is.
Economy Class passengers on long-haul flights get a hot meal and a snack. On shorter flights, they get sandwiches or a sweet or savory snack. If the flight is at least two hours long, you might get "stroopwafel" cookies before landing! Most alcoholic drinks are free for all passengers.
You can also ask for special meals, like vegetarian or religious meals, before your flight. On flights to Asian countries, KLM offers authentic Asian meals.
In September 2016, KLM became the first airline to offer draft beer on a flight! They serve it in World Business Class.
Delft Blue houses
Since the 1950s, KLM has given its World Business Class passengers a special gift: a Delft blue miniature traditional Dutch house. These tiny houses are copies of real Dutch houses and are filled with Dutch genever (a type of gin).
Every year, a new house is introduced on October 7, which is KLM's birthday. The number on the house tells you how many years KLM has been flying. There are also special edition houses for VIPs or honeymoon couples.
Services at the airport
KLM offers different ways to check in for your flight, including self-service kiosks at the airport, online, or using your phone. You can also print your boarding pass at airport kiosks.
Since 2008, KLM has offered self-service baggage drop-off at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. You can drop off your own bags after a quick check by a KLM employee.
In November 2012, KLM started testing self-service boarding. Passengers could board the plane by scanning their own boarding passes, which opened a gate.
KLM is also the first airline to offer self-service kiosks for connecting passengers at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. If you have a connecting flight, you can use these kiosks to check flight details, change your seat, or even get a new boarding pass if you missed your connection.
Flying Blue
Air France-KLM's frequent flyer program is called Flying Blue. It rewards you with miles based on how far you fly, the ticket price, and your class of service. You can earn "Experience Points" (XP) to reach different membership levels: Explorer, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The higher your level, the more benefits you get, like lounge access or extra baggage.
You also earn "Award Miles" which you can use for free tickets, upgrades to a better seat, extra baggage, or Wi-Fi on board.
Accidents and incidents
Tenerife airport disaster
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The Tenerife disaster happened on March 27, 1977. It was a very serious accident involving a KLM Boeing 747-200B and a Pan Am Boeing 747-100 at Los Rodeos Airport in Tenerife, Spain. The KLM plane tried to take off without proper clearance, and it collided with the Pan Am plane that was still on the runway.
A main cause was a misunderstanding in communication between the KLM pilot and air traffic control. Also, there was very thick fog, so the pilots couldn't see the other plane until it was too late. This accident had a big impact on the airline industry. It led to much stricter rules for communication between pilots and air traffic controllers to prevent such misunderstandings from happening again. For example, the word "takeoff" is now only used by air traffic control when they are actually giving permission for a plane to take off.
Famous people who worked for KLM
- Jacob Veldhuyzen van Zanten: A pilot known for his role in the Tenerife airport disaster.
- Bob Hiensch: A flight attendant.
- Leo Visser: A pilot.
- Lisa Westerhof: A pilot.
- King Willem-Alexander: The current King of the Netherlands, who sometimes flies as a guest pilot for KLM.
Images for kids
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KLM poster featuring the airline's first commercial slogan. It is likely dated around the late 1920s, after it started service to Batavia.
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KLM Fokker F-XVIII departing from the Dutch East Indies, 1932
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KLM Douglas DC-2 aircraft Uiver in transit at Rambang airfield on the east coast of Lombok island following the aircraft being placed second in the MacRobertson Air Race from RAF Mildenhall, England, to Melbourne in 1934
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KLM Douglas DC-3 at Manchester Airport in 1947
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Lockheed L-749A Constellation of KLM in 1953
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KLM Vickers Viscount 803
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KLM Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop airliner in 1965
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KLM Boeing 747-206B in 1971.
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KLM Douglas DC-8-63 at London Heathrow Airport in 1982. The DC-8 was the mainstay of the KLM narrowbody jet fleet.
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A McDonnell Douglas DC-10 operated by Northwest Airlines (tail number N237NW) in a hybrid Northwest-KLM livery (1999). This photo shows the starboard (above) and port side of the aircraft (below).
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A KLM Boeing 737-700 with a "100 year" livery taking off from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
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KLM head office in Amstelveen
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A Boeing 747-400 Combi in KLM Asia livery. Pictured is PH-BFC, the aircraft involved in the KLM Flight 867 incident. This aircraft served the subsidiary from 1995 to 2012 before being transferred to KLM and repainted in the mainline KLM livery, where it remained in service until its retirement on 14 March 2018.
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A current KLM pilot wing
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One of KLM's Douglas DC-6s in 1953
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A KLM Lockheed L-188 Electra in the airline's 1950s livery
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PH-BKA in a special 100 Years livery
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PH-BVA painted in a special "Orange Pride" livery
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A Business Class seat on board a former refurbished KLM Boeing 747-400
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Economy Comfort and Economy Class seats on board a KLM Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
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KLM Delft blue houses
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At the time of the accident, the Boeing 747 named Rhine was only six years old.
See also
In Spanish: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines para niños
- Air travel in the Netherlands
- List of airports in the Netherlands
- List of companies of the Netherlands
