KLM's direct flights to Sint Maarten were suspended in 2017 due to hurricane Irma. Flights to Sint Maarten were then combined with the Amsterdam-Curaçao service. However, from 27 October 2019, KLM will once more operate a direct service from Schiphol to this Caribbean island. The twice weekly flights, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, will be operated with an Airbus A330. From 14 January 2020 a third frequency will be added.

• KL0729 departs Tuesdays at 11:20 CET from Schiphol and arrives 15:35 local time on Sint Maarten. On Thursdays it departs from Schiphol at 11:45 hours CET and arrives at 16:00 hours local time on Sint Maarten.
   
• KL0730 departs Tuesdays at 18:15 hours local time from Sint Maarten and arrives at Schiphol the next day at 07:50 hours CET.

Guanacaste Liberia is on the Pacific coast of northwest Costa Rica. From 29 October, KLM will operate flights four times a week from Amsterdam to Guanacaste Liberia in a Boeing 787-9. On the outbound journey the service will include a stopover at San José, the capital of Costa Rica.

• KL0717/0719 departs Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday at 12:35 hours CET from Schiphol, arriving at San José at 17:15 hours local time. The flight continues on at 19:15 hours local time to Guanacaste Liberia, where it arrives at 20:10 hours local time.
   
• KL0717/0719 departs 21:15 hours local time from Guanacaste Liberia and arrives at Schiphol the next day at 14:20 hours CET.

Bangalore is in southern India and is famous for its many technology companies. From 30 October, KLM will operate flights on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between Schiphol and Bangalore in a Boeing 787-9. The flight schedule is as follows:

• KL0879 departs Schiphol 11:05 hours CET and arrives the next day at Bangalore, Kempegowda International Airport at 00:50 hours local time.

• KL0880 departs Bangalore at 02:45 hours local time and arrives at Schiphol at 08:25 hours CET the next day.

Limited capacity at Schiphol

KLM is able to offer three new destinations, despite the limited capacity at Schiphol, by optimising its network. We constantly monitor whether the type of aircraft and frequencies for a certain route match market demand and the route's results. This can mean that routes are sometimes suspended sooner than usual due to slot restrictions at Schiphol, as is the case with Colombo, Sri Lanka, this winter.

Air France-KLM winter schedule

For information about the Air France-KLM group capacity increase and new routes, please read this press release: https://www.airfranceklm.com/en/2019-2020-winter-schedule-25-increase-capacity

KLM will commence service on October 29^th 2019 on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between Amsterdam-Schiphol, San José and Guanacaste-Liberia. The flights will be operated with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, with 30 seats in World Business Class, 45 seats in Economy Comfort and 219 seats in Economy Class.

• KL0717/KL0719 departs Amsterdam-Schiphol at 11:35, and arrives in San José (Costa Rica) at 17:15 Local time. From there, the flight departs at 19:15 towards Guanacaste Liberia, to arrive at 20:10.
• After a short 65 minute stop on ground, the flight continues under the same flight number directly to Amsterdam-Schiphol, with a departure out of Guanacaste Liberia at 21:15 Local time; to arrive at Amsterdam-Schiphol at 13:20 Local time the following day.

It is possible to arrive in San José, and depart from Liberia on the same ticket, making it an ideal combination for all travelers that want to discover the beautiful nature and pura vida of Costa Rica. Likewise, passengers originating in Costa Rica can start and end their journey in either San José or Guanacaste Liberia in both directions on the same ticket.

About Guanacaste

Guanacaste is a region in the northwest of Costa Rica, bordering the Pacific Ocean and lies at approximately 150 miles from the capital San José. The region is known for its beautiful coastline, with quiet inlets, pristine beaches and small islands that dot the coastline. The climate in Guanacaste is unique in Costa Rica, since the region receives little to no rain from November to April; which makes it a popular holiday destination. Also in terms of nature the region has a lot to offer, jungles around the volcanos in the interior form a green backdrop for hikers and flora and fauna enthusiasts alike. The capital of Guanacaste is Liberia, with 60.000 inhabitant. The modern international airport of Guanacaste Liberia is situated less than 15 miles from the nearest beach.

80% less CO₂ emissions

KLM founded SkyNRG and initiated the KLM Corporate BioFuel Programme to stimulate the demand for sustainable biofuel. With the help of this cooperative effort, KLM has been operating all of its flights from Los Angeles partially with sustainable biofuel since 2012. KLM is the only European airline operating intercontinental flights using biofuel.

By using sustainable biofuel, KLM can reduce its CO₂ emissions by as much as 80% compared to fossil fuels. The market for sustainable biofuel, however, is far from mature, so the price is still three times higher than that of fossil fuel. KLM only purchases biofuels made from raw materials that have no negative environmental impact on biodiversity or food production. KLM is currently using sustainable biofuel made from used cooking oil (UCO).

Dreamliner

The San Jose service will be operated using Boeing 787-900 equipment. This Boeing Dreamliner has 294 seats and offers plenty of travel comfort. Higher air pressure in the cabin ensures that passengers arrive at their destination feeling rested. WiFi is also available onboard for passengers who would like be online during their flight. The Dreamliner is quieter than other aircraft, consumes less fuel and, therefore, emits less CO2.

KLM will fly twice a week to Costa Rica, Tuesdays and Fridays. The other days, travellers can use the KLM flight to Panama, which connects to San José thanks to a code share with Copa airlines.

The flight will leave Amsterdam-Schiphol at 15:25 hr and will arrive at San José at 20:05hr of Costa Rica. The return flight will leave San José at 22:05 hr and will arrive at Amsterdam-Schiphol the next day at 15:10 hr.

KLM’s San José flight will be operated with the most modern airplane of its fleet, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, with a capacity of 294 seats: 30 seats in World Business Class, 219 in economy Class and 45 in Economy Comfort Zone. In addition to being the most modern plane of the airline, this aircraft is designed to offer the maximum comfort to travellers and to protect the environment as it consumes 20% less fuel and produces 20% less CO2 emissions.

About San José and Costa Rica

San José is the capital city of Costa Rica. It is located in the Central Valley, in the Western province of the country and is the home of 350.000 people. Bordered by the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, Costa Rica is a destination with an incredible abundance of protected natural parks, fine sandy beaches, active volcanoes and mountainous landscapes. At the forefront of ecotourism, Costa Rica received almost 3 million visitors in 2016, eager for nature and adventure. A wild and sunny paradise to discover in the middle of the European winter.