Leakage effect: travelers opt for foreign airports
A further increase in the flight tax, as announced on Prince's Day (Budget Day) with a projected revenue of around 1.1 billion euros per year from 2027 onward, will make flying from the Netherlands unaffordable for many Dutch travelers. A family with two children already pays €120 in flight tax per trip. In Belgium, the maximum flight tax per ticket is €10, Sweden is abolishing its flight tax, and Germany is even considering reversing its recent increase. Soon, a Dutch family of four will pay €200 in flight tax for a flight to Greece or Turkey. As a result, travelers are turning to airports across the border in Belgium or Germany, where the tax burden is lower.

Marjan Rintel warns for the consequences: “We see that passengers want to keep flying, but they are very price-sensitive. Since the introduction of the flight tax in 2021, the share of Dutch travelers flying from Düsseldorf and Brussels has already increased by 41% and 20%, respectively, between 2019 and 2024. Further increases in ticket prices—whether due to higher flight taxes or increased airport fees—will only accelerate the shift of travelers to airports abroad, such as Brussels and Düsseldorf.”

Flight tax as a driver for sustainability
Currently, the proceeds from the flight tax go back into the national treasury and are not invested in making aviation more sustainable, such as by scaling up and making alternative fuels (SAF) more affordable. This is at odds with the wishes of nearly nine out of ten Dutch people, who believe the tax revenue should be used specifically to make flying more sustainable.

KLM is therefore advocating for a different approach. Marjan Rintel: “We should not keep piling on new taxes and extra costs here in the Netherlands. Instead, we need to invest together in cleaner aviation, for example by supporting alternative fuels (SAF). Right now, not a single cent of the tax revenue is going toward making aviation more sustainable. Families paying hundreds of euros in flight taxes should at least expect their money to actually contribute to lower emissions. Just as the government supports scaling up wind and solar energy or electrification of the vehicle fleet, it should also do more to make SAF production in the Netherlands available and affordable.”

More eco-benign

The Embraer 175+ has numerous technical features that substantially reduce fuel consumption and, hence, CO₂ emissions. Compared to the Fokker 70, the new E175+ burns 22% less fuel.

Floor plan
The Schiphol Airport Map consists of a floor plan featuring all the different gates. All sorts of other KLM facilities are also marked on the map, including check-in desks, lounges, kiosks and transfer desks. Passengers will also find general Schiphol facilities on the map, including toilets, shops, workspaces and meditation areas.

How does it work?
The passenger’s location is marked as a dot on the floor plan, making it easy for them to judge how far they are from their gate. The dot is only visible to the app user and is not shared via social media. The service will initially be rolled out in the KLM App (iOS systems only), Messenger, Twitter and WeChat. The service will be made available on these platforms over the next few weeks. For more information, please visit airportmaps.klm.com.

KLM on social media and mobile devices
Since 2009, KLM has built a reputation as a pioneer and trendsetter in the field of social media services and campaigns. KLM has more than 25 million fans and followers on various social media (figures from June 2017). Via Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, LinkedIn, WeChat and KakaoTalk, KLM receives more than 100,000 notifications a week, 16,000 of which are queries or remarks. These are all answered personally 24/7, in nine different languages, by our social media team, which consists of 250 agents, making it the biggest in the world.

The KLM app has been downloaded 2 million times on iOS and Android systems. Every day, around 85,000 people access the app, which can be used to book a flight, check in online, download a boarding pass, reserve a seat, and receive the latest flight updates. The app aims to ensure greater comfort for passengers before, during and after their trip.

In addition to the Milan Malpensa service, KLM already added two new seasonal destinations to its network at the end of last year for 2017, namely Cagliari and Catania.

Zaventem Airport in Brussels remains closed following two explosions there. KLM has cancelled all of today’s and tomorrow´s flights to and from Brussels. KLM has extended its rebooking arrangement until 31 March 2016. We advise that our passengers follow the KLM website for the latest information, and not to travel to Brussels Airport at this time. Belgian authorities have set up an emergency phone number for all enquiries concerning the incident: +322 506 4711.

22-03-2016 15:25 LT Amsterdam

Zaventem Airport in Brussels remains closed following two explosions there. Passengers on KLM flight 1722 from Brussels to Amsterdam have disembarked and have been evacuated from the terminal. KLM has cancelled all of today’s and tomorrow´s flights to and from Brussels. KLM has extended its rebooking arrangement until 31 March 2016. We advise that our passengers follow the KLM website for the latest information, and not to travel to Brussels Airport at this time. Belgian authorities have set up an emergency phone number for all enquiries concerning the incident: +322 506 4711.

22-03-2016 12:15 LT Amsterdam

Pieter Elbers, President & CEO at KLM: “It was with shock and horror that KLM heard the reports of the explosions at Zaventem Airport and subway stations in Brussels this morning. Our thoughts are with victims, their relatives and all who were in the direct vicinity of these horrific events".

22-03-2016 10:05 LT Amsterdam

Belgian authorities have closed Zaventem Airport in Brussels following two explosions there. KLM flight 1722, from Brussels to Amsterdam was at Zaventem at the time of the explosions, but was nowhere near the scene. Passengers and crew have now left that aircraft. KLM has adjusted its operations to and from Brussels, and has cancelled a number of flights on that route. We advise that our passengers follow the KLM website for the latest information, and not to travel to Brussels Airport at this time. Belgian authorities have set up an emergency phone number for all enquiries concerning the incident: +322 506 4711.

22-03-2016 09:15 LT Amsterdam

Belgian authorities have closed Zaventem Airport in Brussels following two explosions there. KLM flight 1722, from Brussels to Amsterdam was at Zaventem at the time of the explosions, but was nowhere near the scene.

KLM has now adjusted its operations to and from Brussels and has cancelled a number of flights on that route. We advise that our passengers watch the KLM website for the latest information.

Once passengers with the KLM smartphone app on their phones have switched on Bluetooth and connected to the internet, they receive a notification asking them if they need help to find their next gate when passing a beacon. The app shows them the route they need to take. It also tells them how long it will take them to walk there, so that they can then take this into account. The unique indoor navigation service even works if the passenger’s flight is departing from a different level. The route and time are updated every time the passenger passes a beacon.

The service is currently available for Android smartphones and will be available for iOS in the near future. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol offers free wifi.

SkyTeam's Beijing facility includes 50 check-in desks, with a further 10 self-service kiosks available by the end of the year. Premium passengers benefit from dedicated check-in counters.

"The co-location of SkyTeam carriers worldwide is an integral part of our strategy as it offers tangible benefits to both our customers and our members," said Gordon Humpherys, SkyTeam's VP of Airport Services. "With so many SkyTeam members serving Beijing, the shared facility strengthens our brand in this region and makes traveling through the airport easier for passengers, while enabling airlines to realize a number of important synergies."

‘By using 100% BioDiesel in our vehicles we are injecting a powerful impetus in the advancement of sustainable enterprise at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. We have formulated the ambition of running a CO2-neutral operation by 2012, and investment in sustainable mobility is one way in which we will achieve this’, explains Ad Rutten, Executive Vice President & COO of Schiphol Group.

Over the next four months, some 40 airport vehicles will be running on 100% BioDiesel. These include tractors and catering, bird control, lease and delivery vans. If the pilot proves a success within those four months, additional vehicles will be switched over to BioDiesel.

SkyNRG
SkyNRG is a Dutch company established by KLM, the North Sea Group and Spring Associates with the mission of achieving greater sustainability in aviation through the use of fuels that are both sustainable and economical. In pursuing that mission, SkyNRG relies on a range of raw materials and technologies.