Catering
Premium Comfort also has a distinctive catering concept. On intercontinental services, one or two hot meals will be served, depending on the duration of the flight. There will always be a choice of meat, fish or vegetarian dishes. After the meal, passengers will be offered coffee, tea, liqueur and ice cream. A variety of snacks and cocktails will also be served between meals, which will be largely selected from those that were previously popular in World Business Class.

Lightweight and reusable
The new seats in Premium Comfort Class were designed by Collins Aerospace together with specialists at KLM Customer Experience. Apart from their elegant design and comfort features, the seats are also lighter than previous designs. Similar care was taken in selecting catering materials for Premium Comfort. They are either reusable (special cutlery, bowls and plates made of lightweight polypropylene) and those that are not reusable are made of recycled PEF. All materials were carefully assessed in terms of circularity and weight, without detracting from aesthetic features.

Service
The Premium Comfort Class experience will start at the airport, where passengers will have more flexible baggage arrangements and SkyPriority privileges, including preferential check-in and boarding.

Booking
The first aircraft equipped with Premium Comfort Class will operate on routes to North America. It is anticipated that passengers will be able to book Premium Comfort to a growing range of destinations from the end of the July 2022.

Participation in Upload@Home is free and voluntary. With this innovative digital self-service, KLM wants to help its customers as best as possible with the complex entry regulations of the country of destination regarding COVID-19 travel documents.

How KLM's COVID-19 check | Upload@Home works

KLM's online check of COVID-19 documents is now available for all KLM flights to Amsterdam, and for KLM flights from or via Amsterdam to Curaçao, Dubai, Lima, St Martin, Istanbul, Germany and Spain. The number of destinations for which Upload@Home is available, is expected to increase in the near future. Customers who have booked a flight to one of these destinations and are eligible for this service will receive an invitation to participate. They collect the required documents and upload them up to five hours before departure. They will be sent the result by e-mail, usually within an hour. KLM staff performing the check are available between 06.00 and 22.00 CET.

At the airport

All customers who need COVID-19-related travel documents for their journey can collect their boarding pass and check in their baggage at the check-in desk at the airport. If they have had their documents checked online via Upload@Home beforehand, all they need to do is show their passport or ID card and any visa. However, KLM recommends always bringing hard copies of the required COVID-19-related documents with them to the airport, as customers may have to show them upon arrival at their destination.

“Virtual Reality (VR) makes training more accessible. It is on-demand and site-independent – pilots don’t have to be in a classroom or a simulator at a certain time. What’s more, it invites them to explore, something they can do safely in a virtual environment,” says Sebastian Gerkens, Senior Instructor Embraer at KLM Cityhopper. “VR allows pilots to familiarise themselves with the cockpit in advance, so that they make more effective use of their simulator time.”

The new training approach will also generate cost savings, among other things because it cuts down on the number of external suppliers and makes pilot scheduling more flexible.

Three applications

The VR training courses for the Embraer 175 and 190 were developed by KLM’s own VR experts in cooperation with KLM Cityhopper. Training consists of three applications, all part of the Type Rating Course in which pilots learn the specific characteristics of the aircraft type they are going to fly.

1. Virtual cockpit –  the pilot is inside the cockpit, i.e. an interactive, computer-generated image of the control panels. 
2. Instruction video –  the pilot watches a 360-degree POV video of a flight from the cockpit jump seat. 
3. Virtual walkaround – the pilot walks through and around the aircraft, composed of 360-degree static photographs. 

“These are also the three different ways to capture content used to create VR applications,” explains Werner Soeteman, manager of the VR Centre Of Excellence at KLM IT. “The interactive virtual cockpit was created on computers entirely by our team of VR developers and 3D designers. To produce the 360-degree video and photographs, one of our VR engineers sat in the cockpit operating an advanced 360-degree camera during a flight, in close cooperation with the KLM Cityhopper pilots. Our developers haven’t the faintest idea how an Embraer works, although they’ve certainly learned a lot.”

EASA certification

KLM has been long been interested in using VR in staff training. For example, it already has VR training courses for maintenance engineers and KLM Cityhopper cabin crew. Now the Embraer 175 and 190 pilots are joining this select company.

The VR courses complement KLM’s existing training programme. KLM Cityhopper is exploring whether it can obtain EASA certification for these courses, which would then eventually replace some of the standard training components, such as classroom instruction, the cockpit poster and textbooks. The safety and quality of training is and naturally always will be top priority.

The KLM-BCG partnership, based on their shared vision of driving integrated decision making in airline operations, has developed, implemented, and marketed a suite of state-of-the-art Operations Decision Support (ODS) tools based on artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and advanced optimisation techniques. These tools will maximize operational performance for Virgin Atlantic by assisting both on the day of operations and in the planning phase. To minimise the number of disrupted passengers (e.g. limiting the number of missed connections) these tools will suggest how to manage last minute events such as bad weather by combining data on available fleet, passenger travel plans, maintenance schedules, crew schedules, and gate availability. Additionally these tools will assist in creating a flight schedule that is designed to minimise delays by predicting where disruptions in the network are most likely to occur.

An in-house ODS team, consisting of business partners, data scientists, and software engineers will be set up at Virgin Atlantic. This team will be responsible for the continuous improvement of the tools in the long run as well as the development of new tools and use cases. They will act as a liaison with other key stakeholders in the operation such as crew, maintenance, and ground, to ensure the optimal cross-functional trade-offs are made.

About KLM-BCG

Founded in 2018, KLM and BCG joined forces in digitizing airline operations. The KLM-BCG partnership in digital airline operations offers a suite of tools that improve the operational performance of airlines. By combining data with today’s advanced analytics, AI and machine-learning expertise, complex operational issues are solved for airline clients across the world.

During this innovative test, dessert and salad trays, lids, plastic glasses and hot meal trays – which, according to European legislation, would have to be disposed of on flights from outside Europe – can now be washed and recycled. Cutlery can be reused after it has been washed and checked.

Lower environmental impact

The trial is being organised jointly with De Ster, which supplies KLM with its catering materials, and with the meal suppliers Marfo, Izico, Ipack and AA Bakeries.

About Fly Responsibly

Fly Responsibly is the embodiment of KLM's commitment to creating a sustainable future for air transportation. It covers all KLM's current and future efforts to make its activities more sustainable. Real progress can only be booked if the entire sector works together. Through Fly Responsibly, KLM invites private customers to take part in its CO₂ compensation scheme, while business customers are invited to reduce the carbon footprint caused by their business flights by taking part in the KLM Corporate BioFuel Programme.

More information about KLM's initiatives for improving the sustainability of air transportation is available at Fly Responsibly.

Surveys show that half of Gen Z and millennials consider how ‘Instagrammable’ their destination will be when booking. How many “likes” will it generate? The guarantee of taking beautiful holiday snaps is a prerequisite for 25.8% of them. The photos have to be authentic and taken by them personally. (Also see “Travel Inspiration on social media comes from friends and family” below.)

Travellers increasingly use voice technology to navigate

Many people spend hours consulting search engines and browsing websites for their ideal travel destination. “Smart speakers” are assisting them on their quest, with more and more travellers finding their ideal destination and suitable air tickets using voice technology. KLM’s booking service, which is often consulted with the aid of Google Assistant, is attracting 10% more users every month.

Travel inspiration on social media comes from friends and family*

Instagram is expected to keep growing as a significant source of travel inspiration. Travellers mainly look at posts from friends and family (65.3%) or click on hashtags to seek inspiration from strangers (45.9%). The role of influencers and celebrities as a source of holiday inspiration is declining more and more (14.5%). Also, more than 50% of travellers don’t trust photos of holiday destinations shared by influencers.

Combining air and train travel will become more popular

Sustainability is important and travellers are taking it into account when booking. This is why travel operators are joining forces wherever possible to offer rail tickets for shorter distances as an alternative to flying. KLM will add more options to its website to plan short distances by train. The guiding principle being that the combination of air and rail travel can be planned and booked easily.

Are you compensating for CO₂ emissions?

More and more passengers are compensating for their share of carbon emissions. A survey* commissioned by KLM revealed that 38.8% of travellers plan to compensate for CO₂ emissions next year. To make it easier and quicker for passengers to do so, KLM is introducing a new quick mobile payment system in 2020.

Your face is your passport

Queues will be shorter at the airport thanks to facial recognition technology. Earlier this year, KLM conducted tests where passengers passed through checkpoints at security, lounges and boarding by showing a selfie in the KLM App on their phones, instead of presenting their passports. The KLM App shows passengers at which airport this technology may be used. More and more passengers will encounter this technology in 2020 when new tests begin. Naturally, it is up to the passenger to decide whether they want to try this digital innovation or not.

AI to shorten waiting times in unforeseen circumstances

Unforeseen circumstances, such as thunderstorms, can lead to flight delays. Artificial Intelligence (AI) helps reduce inconvenience to passengers by rapidly calculating how best to deploy available crews and aircraft. This will further improve flight punctuality in 2020.

Even more luxury and relaxation at the airport

All sorts of innovations will further improve the ways travellers spend their time at the airport. Transfer passengers will find sleeping pods in KLM’s new non-Schengen Crown Lounge or they can enjoy a luxury dinner at Restaurant Blue, with dishes created by Michelin-starred chef Joris Bijdendijk.

Mobile telephone off or at home*

Travellers increasingly prefer to stay off their mobile phone while on holiday, or at least to use it less. On the other hand, they can’t go without a phone altogether. Around 50% of passengers would prefer to use their phones as little as possible on holiday, but also indicate that this is not always possible. Almost a third of passengers would like to travel without a phone, but are afraid they will find this impossible.

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KLM on social media

KLM has been a pioneer in social media services and campaigns since 2009. KLM has more than 23 million friends and followers on social media. These channels generate more than 200,000 mentions a week, 35,000 of which are queries and comments. These are answered by a team of 350 service staff, the largest social media team in the world. KLM offers customer support 24/7 on WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, WeChat, KakaoTalk and LINE in ten languages: Dutch, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. KLM was the world’s first airline enabling passengers to receive flight documents and status updates via WhatsApp, Messenger and Twitter. It was also the first Western airline to join the Chinese platform WeChat.

For more information or questions about KLM on social media, please see social.klm.com.

* Survey (n = 400) carried out by Factsnapp, commissioned by KLM.

The quantity of SAF will be blended with fossil fuel and is entirely certified according to the conventional specification for aviation fuel (ASTM), meeting the same quality and safety requirements. The blend will be supplied to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and is being treated completely as a drop-in fuel using the existing conventional fuel infrastructure, pipeline, and storage and hydrant system. In this way, sustainable aviation fuel contributes to reducing CO2 emissions from flights taking off from Amsterdam through CO2 footprint reductions in the supply chain.

KLM only sources sustainable aviation fuels based on waste and residue feedstocks that significantly reduce the CO2 footprint and do not have a negative impact on food production or the environment. The sustainability of the chain is ensured through certification by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification Plus (ISCC+) and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB).

This volume is additional to the existing supply from Los Angeles to bridge the period towards the opening of the SAF production plant which is to be built in Delfzijl, Netherlands in 2022. This plant which is being developed by support of KLM along with industry partners will supply 75,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel a year to KLM.

Instant emission reduction with sustainable aviation fuel

Neste’s sustainable aviation fuel is produced from renewable waste and residue raw materials. Over the lifecycle including the impact of logistics, sustainable aviation fuel has up to 80% smaller carbon footprint compared to fossil jet fuel. It is fully compatible with the existing jet engine technology and fuel distribution infrastructure when blended with fossil jet fuel. In the US and Europe, the company’s renewable jet fuel annual capacity is currently 100,000 tons. With further production expansion on the way, Neste will have the capacity to produce over 1 million tonnes of renewable jet fuel globally by 2022.

Unique cooperation

Neste is joining KLM’s Corporate BioFuel Programme. The KLM Corporate BioFuel Programme enables companies and organisations to ensure that sustainable aviation fuel is used for all or a portion of their air travel. Participants pay a surcharge that covers the difference in price between sustainable aviation fuel and regular kerosene. In so doing, they set an example and actively contribute to make air transport more sustainable. In 2019, the KLM Corporate BioFuel Programme is partnered by ABN AMRO, Accenture, Arcadis BV, Arcadis NV, Amsterdam Municipality, Loyens & Loeff, Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL), Microsoft, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, Neste, the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR), PGGM, Schiphol Group, SHV Energy, Södra and TU Delft.

Fly Responsibly

“Fly Responsibly” embodies KLM’s commitment to creating a sustainable future for air transport. It incorporates all of KLM’s current and future efforts to improve the sustainability of its activities. True progress can only be achieved if the entire sector cooperates. With “Fly Responsibly”, KLM invites consumers to opt for CO2 compensation service CO2ZERO, while companies are invited to reduce carbon footprint of their business travel via the KLM Corporate BioFuel Programme. At flyresponsibly.klm.com you can read more about KLM's initiatives to make aviation more sustainable.

82 million users

LINE is a social media platform. It offers voice, video, and chat communication between users, domestically, internationally, and across telecommunication providers. LINE has 82 million active users in its Japanese home market. Most users are from 15 to 34 years old.

KLM on social media

KLM has been a pioneer in social media services and campaigns since 2009. We have more than 28 million friends and followers on a variety of social media. Through these channels, KLM receives more than 180,000 messages a week, 35,000 of which are questions or comments. The world’s largest social media team, consisting of 360 service staff, respond to the messages personally. KLM offers 24/7 customers support on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, WeChat, KakaoTalk and LINE in Dutch, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. KLM was the world’s first airline to offer its customers flight documents and status updates via WhatsApp, Messenger, and Twitter. What’s more, it was the first western airline to use the Chinese social media channel WeChat.

Any questions or looking for more information about KLM on social media? Discover all KLM’s social services on social.klm.com.

Double Crown

KLM’s non-Schengen Crown Lounge capacity has doubled in size.

KLM’s non-Schengen Crown Lounge reflects the airline’s image: comfort, customer focus, and innovation. New food and beverage ideas, digital support such as self-service access, and the lounge staff service all contribute to the personal experience. The online Lounge Guide offers visitors a constant digital assistant to help them find their way around, book services, check flight details, or request personal assistance from one of the Personal Lounge Assistants.

Concept

KLM wants to offer customers a completely new experience through its innovative service concepts. Working with the architectural firm ‘concrete’, the airline has designed five different “Dutch landscapes” to meet the varied wishes and needs of its customers, whether they want to work, relax, refresh, eat, drink, find entertainment, or engage in fine dining. The 5 landscapes are:

In the Polder landscape, customers can work ideally and relax at the same time. The carpet, decorated in varying shades of green, is reminiscent of the Netherlands’ vast pastureland. And a 110-metre LED light wall simulates the Dutch sky. The lighting adapts to the time of day and includes a beautiful sunset.

In the lively City landscape, customers can enjoy “live” cooking, a Heineken Bar, specially designed by Heineken, and a coffee bar with a barista. The new food and beverage concept – characterised by stylish, high-quality, and fresh seasonal products – comes from KLM’s partner Vermaat. Reducing waste is an important pillar for both companies to lounge catering.

The Sea offers everything customers need to recharge their batteries during their journey. The area has twenty free showers, which customers can reserve in advance at the lounge’s self-service kiosks. The luxury sleeping cabins offer privacy, tranquillity, and comfort – for a fee – using Flying Blue miles, or three hours for EUR 49,50. It’s the perfect place to close your eyes and rest during a transfer or a long journey. In the future the showers and sleeping cabins will be equipped with digital allocation systems using QR codes.

The striking Dutch Mountain zone offers visitors a variety of options for working and having fun, from a TV room to a DJ stand for special events. It devotes attention to Dutch design and offers historical attributes from KLM’s heritage.

Sky is an exclusive and original area on the second floor. At the explicit request of KLM customers, Sky’s high-end setting offers a terrace with a beautiful view of Schiphol Airport. You can enjoy excellent meals and a wide range of drinks in Blue by KLM, a restaurant and adjacent bar for an extra fee. Blue’s menu is compiled by Joris Bijdendijk of RIJKS®, the Rijksmuseum’s Michelin-starred restaurant. Blue offers a fantastic gastronomic experience, carefully considering individual timing and personal needs.

Entry

KLM welcomes to its non-Schengen Crown Lounge:

• Business Class passengers;
• Flying Blue Platinum and Gold members plus one guest (additional guests on payment);
• SkyTeam Elite Plus members plus one guest.

KLM also wants its customers and those of our partner airlines who do not have automatic lounge access, to be able to benefit from the Crown Lounge. They can do this by purchasing access in the KLM app, at KLM.com, at the self-service machines in the airport, or at the entrance to the lounge – depending on their destination and lounge capacity.

KLM non-Schengen Crown Lounge offers:

• Showers, paid sleeping cabins, and virtual reality cabins;
• A terrace overlooking the runways;
• Online Lounge Guide, Self-service kiosks and Personal Lounge Assistants to help customers.

The lounge is open daily from 04:45 until the last KLM flight departs. For more information please visit https://lounge.klm.com/client/lounge52/home.

Unique partnershipUnique to this partnership between the ROC van Amsterdam and KLM is that both organisations will use the simulation environment. KLM will use it to train existing employees (as part of its life-long learning strategy) and lateral-entrants.

Being able to practice working with Schiphol's logistical processes in highly realistic environments thoroughly prepares the MBO College Airport logistics students for work.

Both organisations are going to share their experiences and knowledge about the learning processes and digital support.

About KLM

KLM has been an aviation pioneer for 100 years and is the oldest airline to still be operating under its original name.

KLM aims to be Europe's most customer-centric, innovative and efficient airline and to maintain a reliable operation with customer-centric products and services.

In 2018 KLM welcomed a record 34.1 million passengers aboard its flights. KLM offers flights to 162 destinations and operates a modern fleet of more then 214 aircraft.

The airline provides employment for more than 33,000 people all over the world. The KLM Group as a whole transported more than 41 million passengers in 2018. The KLM Group comprises KLM, KLM Cityhopper, Transavia and Martinair. KLM's network connects the Netherlands to every major economic region in the world, making it a powerful engine of the Dutch economy.

About MBO College Airport

MBO College Airport is one of 12 MBO colleges that come under the auspices of ROC van Amsterdam-Flevoland. MBO College Airport is one of the Netherlands' leading vocational colleges, offering courses in aviation and international travel and hospitality. More than 4,200 students are trained for jobs in the air transport sector, ranging from cabin attendant to aircraft mechanic, from logistics specialist and general and technical support, to airport security. Two introductory courses are also available. MBO College Airport works closely with the Aviation Community Schiphol, which is a public-private partnership of companies at Schiphol. More information is available at: www.MBOcollegeairport.nl

3D printers at E&M

KLM Engineering & Maintenance has been using 3D printers for quite some time in ways that speed up repair and maintenance processes. For example, special plugs have been developed to ensure that rim holes don't get painted over when the wheels on Boeing 737s are painted.

Protective tape is no longer used at Engine Services during the maintenance of turbine blades. It has been replaced by a 3D-printed cover. And the tool Engine Services designed for removing overhead baggage bins on board the Boeing 787 means this task can now be carried out by one mechanic instead of two.

KLM heeft als doel om in 2030 het restafval met 50 procent te verminderen ten opzichte van 2011, door in totaal minder afval te produceren en het deel dat gerecycled kan worden te verhogen. In 2018 is het restafval verminderd met 9 procent en werd 28 procent gerecycled.

Lower cost of filament

E&M currently uses around 1.5 kg of high quality filament every day. Because KLM now supplies PET bottles as a raw material, the cost of this filament has dropped from EUR 60/kg to just EUR 17/kg. By working with the recycling company Morssinkhof Rymoplast and the filament manufacturer Reflow, KLM is now able not only to be innovative in its use of 3D printing, but also to make the process circular.

Reduce waste

KLM aims to reduce the volume of its waste by 50% in 2030, compared to 2011 levels. This will be achieved by producing less waste overall and increasing the amount that can be recycled. In 2018, KLM reduced waste by 9% and 28% of what remained was recycled.

Five Dutch companies Ahold Delhaize, ING, KLM, NS and Philips aim to further boost the AI ecosystem in the Netherlands by accelerating and promoting the development of AI technology and nurturing AI talent in the country. This effort will add educational capacity, foster the development of the AI community in the Netherlands and reiterate the position of the Netherlands as a competitive and relevant global AI hub.

Joint initiative

The goal of Kickstart AI, is to bridge the AI gap between the Netherlands and other countries, like the UK, the US and China, that have made notable progress in this area. In order to keep the country’s position as a pioneer and inventor of technologies, the Dutch government, companies, organizations and universities have ground to cover in terms of structural investments and availability of global AI talent. The five companies “kickstarting” AI are, for the first time, uniting forces in this kind of joint initiative and taking highly needed decisive action.

Improve daily lives

The five companies initiating Kickstart AI are calling for the critical expansion of local knowledge and talent in order to ethically implement AI that is focused not only on what is technically possible but also meeting the ethical and social standards the Dutch society may expect. Collaboration among these five companies, the government, industry and other tech providers will help address societal challenges, provide new opportunities for the youth and accelerate the introduction of AI in the Netherlands. For consumers, AI has untapped potential to help improve their daily lives by elevating their experience with personalized service, convenience and choices in many areas of life such as food, travel, health and finances.

Initiatives under Kickstart AI include:

1. AI superchallenges: Competitions aimed at raising the Netherlands’ global profile by mobilizing global AI talent to address societal challenges for example in the areas of health and mobility.
2. Joint appointments: Investing in private-public collaboration through joint appointments of academic staff, providing access for the next generation of AI talent to education, training and leading academics. First commitment is to create 5 joint appointments to academic institutions in the Netherlands by each of the frontrunner companies in Kickstart AI, adding up to 25 positions in total.
3. Dutch national course for AI: As part of a wider effort to increase understanding and adoption of AI in the Netherlands, Kickstart AI companies will not only promote the national course for AI among the general public and their own workforces, but also offer the course in English, therewith aiming to secure sign-ups from a total of 170,000 people in the Netherlands by the end of 2020.

Urgency

Introducing Kickstart AI at the World Summit AI today, Maarten de Rijke, Professor at the University of Amsterdam and Director of the Innovation Center for Artificial Intelligence, said: “The Netherlands has always been a technology pioneer, a frontrunner in AI development and innovation. The quality of our AI specialists is well-acknowledged worldwide. However, without a national AI strategy and swift action, the severe shortage of AI talent in our country remains one of the biggest roadblocks to realizing the full potential of AI talent and technology. The joint efforts between universities and companies, as part of Kickstart AI, underlines the urgency in accelerating AI education and talent retention and signals our commitment to collaboration and investments needed to accelerate AI innovation in the Netherlands.”

Game-changing potential

Ahold Delhaize, ING, KLM, NS and Philips are connected to the daily lives of millions of people through food, travel, health and finances. As organizations that are close to the lives of everyday Dutch society, they fully understand the game-changing potential for AI to improve everyday life in the Netherlands. This is why they have joined together in a call for action to their business and industry peers, to boost collaboration in creating a thriving AI ecosystem in the Netherlands for the benefit of end-consumers’ daily lives. The Strategic Action Plan AI (SAPAI) and the Netherlands’ AI Coalition, also announced this week, are complementary steps in the same direction and designed to collectively sustain the growth and competitiveness of the Dutch economy.

KLM’s 100^th 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 100^th 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-17^th 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 18^th 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.

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 100^th anniversary. There was cake and a special message from Pieter Elbers. In addition, all KLM staff will receive the coveted 100^th 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.

The new jet bridge is equipped with smart technology, including cameras on the bridge that recognise the aircraft door and sensors that help it connect to the aircraft door. A KLM employee will activate the bridge and supervise the process.

“The fully automatic double passenger bridge at Schiphol is a great innovation and can make a real difference,” says René de Groot, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer at KLM. “KLM is proud to have contributed to its development. The bridge can connect up within one minute, and that means shorter waiting times for our customers. What’s more, the innovation will contribute to our punctuality and reduce the risk of breakdowns. All of this will ensure an even better customer experience.”

“I am proud that the world’s first fully automatic double-decker passenger bridge is going into operation at Schiphol,” says Dick Benschop, CEO of Royal Schiphol Group. “Innovation helps us improve quality so we can make the airport as comfortable and efficient as possible for passengers and airlines alike.”

In June, KLM launched its “Fly Responsibly” initiative, thereby committing itself to creating a more sustainable future for air transport. “Fly Responsibly” incorporates all of KLM’s existing and future efforts to improve the sustainability of our activities, but true progress can only be made if the entire sector cooperates. With “Fly Responsibly”, KLM therefore invites consumers to compensate for their share of CO₂ emissions from their flight. Companies are invited to compensate for business travel by way of the KLM Corporate BioFuel Programme. One very recent example of our efforts to Fly Responsibly was announced yesterday: from 29 March 2020, we will replace one of our daily flights between Amsterdam and Brussels with seat capacity aboard the high-speed Thalys train.

Recent investments in sustainability

KLM has invested in sustainable aviation fuel since 2009, but our pledge to procure 75,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel makes us the world’s first airline to purchase biofuel on such a major scale. From 2022, this sustainable aviation fuel will be produced at the first European factory for sustainable aviation fuel, which will be built in Delftzijl.

We are also working with the Delft University of Technology to develop an aircraft that flies more economically due to its V shape, in which the cabin for passengers and crew, as well as the cargo hold and fuel tanks are all largely integrated into the wings of the aircraft. In October 2019, a flying scale model of this aircraft as well as a life-sized section of the cabin interior will be presented to the public during the KLM Experience Days at Schiphol.

Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI)

The DJSI applies a so-called “best-in-class” approach in acknowledging companies in diverse sectors that outperform competitors in terms of sustainability indicators. Every year, RobecoSAM invites more than 3,000 listed companies, including 800 companies in emerging markets, to report on their sustainability initiatives.

For further information on KLM sustainability initiatives, please visit www.klmtakescare.com

Engine maintenance is largely dependent on human skills. Technicians inspect every component, manually recording all damage and giving recommendations for repair. Aiir Innovations is developing software that technicians can use to detect cracks, dents and other damage during borescope inspections of aircraft engines.

Time saving

The software raises inspection productivity, allowing the technician to focus on assessing damage. The new software is a self-learning, detection system that saves maintenance teams a great deal of time. 

Cooperation with KLM

The founders of Aiir Innovation met while completing their master’s in Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the University of Amsterdam. Three years ago, KLM invited them to participate in a research project seeking innovative solutions that applied artificial intelligence in conducing borescope inspections.

KLM has played an important part in the development of this new software. Over the past three years, the Aiir Innovations team have spent a lot of time collaborating with KLM engineers and technicians on the work floor. Earlier this year, KLM Engineering & Maintenance signed a contract for a further five years collaboration. As launch customer, KLM is also providing the start-up with data and contacts within its own network.

Greater work pleasure, better inspection

Expansion abroad

Aiir Innovations is also running pilot projects with maintenance companies other than KLM, elsewhere in Europe. Many more of such projects will be launched in the coming years. “We’ll be using the half million euros for further expansion abroad, which means we’ll be needing a professional sales organisation,” explains Vredebregt, whose company also intends to use the investment for product enhancement in the coming years, so that inspections can be conducted even better and faster.

Mainport Innovation Fund II

The Mainport Innovation Fund II was initiated by Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, KLM, the Delft University of Technology, NS Dutch Railways and the Port of Amsterdam, in cooperation with NBI Investors. The fund focuses on accelerating innovations in logistics, aviation and transport.

KLM is the first European airline to operate this more sustainable and economical aircraft. The Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner has the same efficient engines as the 787-9. The combination of these engines with the use of lighter materials in the 787-10 means it produces lower carbon emissions and less noise.

The 787-10's design is highly sophisticated, with large windows and a spacious interior providing much more room and comfort.

This first KLM 787-10 Dreamliner will be deployed from 2 July on KLM services to Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam. KLM plans to have 15 Boeing 787-10s in its fleet by 2022.

Click here for more information about the KLM Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner.

Passengers who wish to make use of the KLM Bus can book their air ticket from Enschede, Hengelo or Apeldoorn to one of the 165 destinations served by KLM. Their air ticket will also be valid aboard the KLM Bus. This service is already available for travellers heading to and from Schiphol out of Maastricht, Eindhoven, Nijmegen, Arnhem and the surrounding areas.

Schedule

The free bus service is available seven days a week, twice daily on the Enschede-Hengelo-Apeldoorn-Schiphol line. The buses are clearly recognisable in the familiar KLM livery, which also features the KLM100 logo, marking KLM’s centenary on 7 October this year. The bus will pick up passengers at the main station in all three cities, bringing them to Departure Hall 2 at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The bus is also suitable for passengers with disabilities or restricted mobility, and young children can make the trip without a special seat. You will find the timetable here: KLM.nl/busservice. All services are operated by Munckhof.

Sustainable and comfortable

The KLM Bus service is free of charge and will be powered with advanced GoodFuels biofuel from 10 July, which is made from 100% certified waste and rest materials. This means it has no negative impact on food production, land use and deforestation. By using the climate neutral KLM Bus, passengers save themselves the cost of a train ticket or petrol for their car, as well as the additional cost of parking at the airport. There is also free Wi-Fi aboard the bus, as well as coffee, tea, water and KLM’s Holland Herald magazine to make the trip complete. If the bus is delayed on route, KLM will rebook passengers to alternative transport free of charge.

KLM Bus timetable

Passengers have 20 minutes to board the KLM Bus at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Enschede. At the intermediate stops in Apeldoorn and Hengelo, passengers will have several minutes to get on or off the bus.

This special moment 100 days before KLM 100^th anniversary was planned to coincide with the arrival of KLM’s first Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. While having already 13 B787-9 Dreamliners in operation, KLM now starts adding B787-10’s, growing to a total of 28 Dreamliners. The fleet renewal program is an important element to achieve ambitious sustainability targets.

The arrival of this aircraft from the Boeing factory in the USA is facing some small delays. It’s expected though to arrive in the next few days. The delivery process sometimes runs into minor issues or other small holdups which is the case now.

More information about KLM’s Fly Responsibly initiative, please click here. And for more information and inspiration please visit the KLM100-site.

Innovative leader

The Dutch pioneering spirit that is so characteristic of KLM is reflected in our use of innovative technology, such as voice-activated systems. The technology itself is not of prime importance, but rather the extent to which it makes life easier for our passengers before, during and after their flight. By experimenting with the possibilities, KLM aims to remain an innovative leader offering the very best passenger experience.

KLM previously launched a travel guide on Google Home, which helps people find a suitable holiday destination. Also a departure planner is available that lets users know when it is time to head off to the airport. Customers can furthermore use Google Home to find and book flights, and to get customised advice on what they should pack, based on their KLM destination, the duration of their trip and local weather forecasts.

KLM on social media

KLM has been a pioneer in social media services and campaigns since 2009. We have more than 28 million friends and followers on a variety of social media. Through these channels, KLM receives more than 180,000 messages a week, 35,000 of which are questions or comments. The world’s largest social media team, consisting of 360 service staff, respond to the messages personally. KLM offers customers support 24/7 on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, WeChat, and KakaoTalk in Dutch, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. KLM was the world’s first airline to offer its customers flight documents and status updates via WhatsApp, Messenger, and Twitter. What’s more, it was the first western airline to use the Chinese social media channel WeChat.

Any questions or looking for more information about KLM on social media? Discover all KLM’s social services on social.klm.com.

KLM Engineering & Maintenance and Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) have launched a joint venture, NUVEON, for the development of new Augmented Reality (AR) products for MRO (maintenance, repair & overhaul). NUVEON will integrate AR throughout the MRO chain to improve everyday performance in maintenance. The new partnership was signed at the Paris Airshow by Olaf Hoftijzer, Director Training E&M KLM, and Marja Eijkman, Division Manager Aerospace Operations, Royal NLR.

After a successful pilot, KLM E&M and NLR are now developing several maintenance training applications using Hololens AR goggles. The advantages have proven numerous, it makes training more attractive, more effective and more efficient. Trainees are actively involved in the instruction session, get a better insight into how the system works and are better able to put what they have learned into practice. And a virtual aircraft is available any place, any time. In addition to the development of further training applications, applications using combinations of different AR/VR devices are studied, as well as remote access through Maintenance Control Centres (MCC), visualization of complex 3D data and more.

In NUVEON, NLR is developing Augmented Reality applications and didactic concepts, and KLM E&M is delivering the subject matter experts and the commercial activities for the augmented reality technology for MRO aircraft maintenance applications. NUVEON aims to address MRO related companies that seek to improve and make their aircraft and aircraft components more efficient and more effective.

More information can be found here.

Customers will simply have to connect their Maestro debit card (PIN card) to Apple Pay (once only) after which they will be able to authorise payments in the KLM App using a fingerprint (Touch ID) or facial scan (Face ID). It should be noted that the Maestro debit card will have to be issued by a bank that cooperates with Apple Pay.

Security and privacy is at the core of Apple Pay. When customers use a debit card with Apple Pay, the actual card number is not stored on the device, nor on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element on your device. Each transaction is authorized with a one-time unique dynamic security code.

More than 100,000 active users a day

The KLM App has been downloaded millions of times and currently supports more than 100,000 active users a day. Apple Pay has been added to the existing functionality of the KLM App that includes up-to-date flight information, booking flights, online check-in and seat reservations. To integrate Apple Pay into the KLM App, KLM has joined forces with payment service provider Adyen.

About KLM

For 100 years, KLM has been a pioneer in the airline industry. It is also the oldest airline to still be operating under its original name. KLM aims to be the most customer-centric, innovative and efficient airline in Europe, offering reliable service and top-quality products.

KLM carried a record 34.1 million passengers in 2018, offering its passengers direct flights to 162 destinations with a modern fleet of more than 214 aircraft. The airline employs a workforce of more 33,000 people worldwide. The KLM network connects the Netherlands with all of the world’s key economic regions and is a powerful engine driving the Dutch economy. KLM will be the first airline in the world to celebrate its 100^th anniversary.

CO₂ reduction of 85%

The feedstocks used for production will be waste and residue streams, such as used cooking oil, coming predominantly from regional industries. The facility will run on sustainable hydrogen, which is produced using water and wind energy. Thanks to these choices, this sustainable aviation fuel delivers a CO₂ reduction of at least 85%, compared to fossil fuel. The use of SAF will also contribute to a significant decrease in ultra-fine particles and sulphur emissions. The construction of this facility is very much in line with KLM’s sustainability objectives and is an important step towards implementing the industry action plan “Smart & Sustainable”, which was drafted by twenty leading transport organisations and knowledge centres. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol will also be investing in the development of this facility.

Fuel meets the highest sustainability standards

SkyNRG’s independent Sustainability Board advises on whether the fuel meets the highest sustainability standards, thereby ensuring that the fuel (produced from waste streams) will not have a negative impact on the food supply and environment. There will be absolutely no use of food crops, such as soya oil and palm oil (or by-products such as PFAD and POME), for production. The board includes representatives from WWF International, the European Climate Foundation, Solidaridad Network and the University of Groningen. Furthermore, the sustainability of the chain and related products are ensured through certification by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), the highest possible certification standard for sustainable fuels.

Partners

In addition to KLM and SHV Energy, SkyNRG has joined hands with various other partners in the Netherlands and beyond, on the DSL-1 project: EIT Climate-KIC, Royal Schiphol Group, GROEIfonds, NV NOM, Groningen Seaports, Nouryon, Gasunie, Arcadis, TechnipFMC, Haldor Topsoe, Desmet Ballestra, Susteen Technologies, and MBP Solutions. These partners will be involved in various phases of the project.

Innovation

This innovative app makes a major contribution to helping an aircraft depart on time. It is a positive development for KLM passengers, for whom punctuality is, of course, important.

All data in one place

A wide variety of checks must be done before an aircraft can depart. Has the catering been loaded? Has the aircraft been fuelled? Are all of the passengers on board? And their luggage? Is the cargo on board? Before Appron existed, a team coordinator had to check numerous different IT systems. Now the app collects all the data in one place on a single iPad. At a glance, the team coordinator can see whether the aircraft is ready for takeoff or whether something or someone is still missing.

One of the app’s creators, KLM Shift Leader Patrick van Exel is enthusiastic about the innovation. “The system really offers a thorough, real-time overview of everything we need to know about the departing aircraft,” he says. “The app works accurately and quickly. I’m very happy with it.” IBM and Apple worked deliberately with the team coordinators to develop and implement the app. The coordinators are still working on new features.

More benefits

The app has even more advantages. If a passenger does not make the flight, the team coordinator gets an overview of the baggage container where the passenger’s baggage is located and that container will not be loaded. This results in less loss of time than having to remove the container later, when it becomes clear that the passenger has definitely missed the flight. The app also shows the layout of the cargo hold. This helps with the most efficient loading of new baggage.

From arrival to departure: how long does a 'turnaround' take? Intern Anne-Linde finds out:

The simulator offers a 360-degree experience, in which a video explains why, how and where King's Day is celebrated. During this experience, the passengers receive an orange crown, an orange bandana and some red, white and blue face paint.

The King's Day simulator is located at Schiphol Plaza at:

Friday 26 April - 8.00 am to 6 pm

Saturday 27 April - 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

We celebrated the start of the new route with the Major and Joost Flamand in attendance representing the Dutch embassy in Naples. Flamand had the honour of unveiling a “sea bin” sponsored by KLM. The floating rubbish bin will remove plastic from the bay of Naples. KLM is sponsoring five sea bins, each of which will collect about 1.5 kilos of plastic each day, including microplastics from 2 to 5 mm in diameter and microfibres starting from 0.3 mm. This will work out to about five hundred kilos of plastic each year. Right now, there are about two hundred sea bins around the world, forty of which are in Italy. The sea bins are part of the PlasticLess project, an initiative of the LifeGate organisation.

Left to right: Gennaro Borriello, Consul of the Netherlands in Naples, Jerome salemi, General Manager Air France-KLM East Mediterranean, Joost Flamand, designated Ambassador of the Netherlands in Italy, Luigi de Magistris, Major of Naples

For more information about Naples, please visit our iFly magazine.

By clicking on the AR ad, people will be able to use the Facebook camera to see themselves with a KLM suitcase on their way to the new destination. It will then be possible to enjoy a 360° view of what the destination has to offer within the ‘Try before you Fly’ AR environment! Over and above useful travel tips and interesting snippets of information, KLM hopes to add real-time ticket prices within this AR environment as part of the next step.

Facebook is currently testing AR ads in the Facebook newsfeed. The format appears as any other ads on Facebook but spring to life when people click on the “click to activate” button. KLM is among the first in the world to test the new AR ads functionality.

TRY OUT THE FIRST KLM FACEBOOK AR AD FOR TAIPEI HERE

During basic training and refresher training with simulators, attention will be paid to further improving cooperation between cabin and cockpit. This is possible, because these simulators have cockpits. In addition to their standard training in the cockpit, pilots will receive extra training every three years in these new simulators. Cabin crew will be given annual training in the new CEETs.

Names unveiled
Just as aircraft all have names, so do simulators. René de Groot unveiled the names of the new CEETs: "Het Amsterdamse Bos" and "De Krullevaar". Sustainability was also a major consideration when purchasing this equipment. The combination of hydraulic and electric drives means 80% less energy is used than in the old situation. These simulators also require less oil.

The training facility will be put into immediate use, but the new training hall will be expanded in the months ahead and a new Fire Trainer installed. This simulator can simulate fire and is where crew practice extinguishing. There will also be a whole floor dedicated to training in Virtual Reality. The training hall is expected to be fully operational by the end of the summer.

Meer weten over Safety Training? Bekijk het hier:

VLOG: Flight Safety Training, https://youtu.be/xLyK5Gjgg28

VLOG: Safety Training In Water, https://youtu.be/IAhx8RyqJgc

BLOG: Hoe ziet een flight safety training bij KLM er uit? https://blog.klm.com/nl/hoe-ziet-een-flight-safety-training-bij-klm-er-uit/

Using a live connection, customers could chat with a hologram of their counterparts, looking each other straight in the eye. There is no better way to get the best local travel tips. But even more interesting, there is no better way to share real cultural insights. With the help of the Take-Off Tips bar, customers can talk to each other at airports in Amsterdam, Oslo, and Rio de Janeiro – strangers who would otherwise never have met.

Live hologram and video

The hologram bar connected people in real time by projecting them into the airport on the other side of the world. To reach a wider audience with KLM’s Take-Off Tips bar, we filmed the conversations of travellers heading in opposite directions and created a short film of the warmest moments. We have now shared this film online.

For ninety-nine years, KLM has been a pioneer in the airline industry. KLM aims to be the most customer-centric, innovative, and efficient network-carrier in Europe, offering reliable service and top-quality products. In 2018, we carried a record of 34.1 million passengers, offering our passengers direct flights to 164 destinations with a modern fleet of 168 aircraft. We employ a workforce of more than 33,000 people worldwide.This year KLM will be the first airline in the world celebrating its one hundredth anniversary. 

This cooperation marks the first time a leading aviation company has joined forces with a top tier consultancy to bring to market a new service—a jointly developed artificial intelligence-based system of integrated solutions and tailored, proven tools.

Over the past 18 months, KLM and BCG have joined forces behind the common belief that operating as a cost center and serving a purely executional role must be considered a thing of the past. In an increasingly complex and busy environment, the reliability of an airline’s operations is a growing competitive advantage. KLM has the ambition to remain a frontrunner.

Deploying common teams made up of employees of KLM Operations Decision Support and Operations frontline staff, BCG's Airline practice, and members of BCG Gamma (an AI & Advanced Analytics entity of over 450 world-class data scientists, data engineers, and software developers), this KLM-BCG partnership has developed a state of the art solution based on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced optimization that addresses all elements of airline operations.

With these tools, airlines will be able to tackle the most complex decisions pertaining to fleet, crew, ground services, and network, with a focus on breaking down the typical siloes across these departments, whether it concerns long-term strategic questions or disruption management optimization on the day of operations. This requires a deep understanding and optimization of tradeoffs across cost, operational performance, customer satisfaction, and employee engagement. With the first set of successful solutions already operational at KLM, both KLM and BCG are ready to launch this service to the aviation industry worldwide.

About KLM
For 98 years, KLM has been a pioneer in the airline industry and is the oldest airline to still be operating under its original name. KLM aims to be the most customer-focused, innovative, and efficient airline in Europe, offering reliable service and top-quality products.

KLM carried a record 32.7 million passengers in 2017, offering its passengers direct flights to 165 destinations with a modern fleet of more than 160 aircraft. The airline employs a workforce of more 32,000 people worldwide. The KLM Group as a whole transported more than 41 million passengers in 2017. In addition to KLM, the KLM Group includes KLM Cityhopper, Transavia, and Martinair. The KLM network connects the Netherlands with all of the world’s key economic regions, and is a powerful engine driving the Netherlands’ economy.

For more information about KLM, please visit KLM.com, KLM Newsroom, Facebook, Twitter and the KLM Blog.

About The Boston Consulting Group
The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firm and the world’s leading advisor on business strategy. We partner with clients from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors in all regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their enterprises. Our customized approach combines deep insight into the dynamics of companies and markets with close collaboration at all levels of the client organization. This ensures that our clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage, build more capable organizations, and secure lasting results. Founded in 1963, BCG is a private company with offices in more than 90 cities in 50 countries. For more information, please visit bcg.com.

Call your Mom, visit your Mom!
Not only will these video conversations bring families together, they will also deliver the best imaginable Mother’s Day present: a ticket to visit your Mom. KLM will be giving away three tickets to the children who called their mothers the longest. The longer you call your mother, the greater your chances become of winning a ticket that will bring you back together. The three winners will be announced on 12 May 2018, the day before Mother’s Day.

The “Call your Mom” platform
From KLM’s platform, people can make video calls to their mothers. It will be possible to do so from a desktop or mobile device. Create an account and then invite your mother to make a video call. The platform then measures the length of your call with your mother. A system will be used to ensure that calls are actually made. This system will not save any personal data.

Last Episode
KLM is still looking for a special travel story for the last episode of “The Journey.” Through podcast.klm.com, we are asking listeners to share their personal travel stories.

Innovation
KLM is constantly developing innovative forms of communication. Podcasts are growing in popularity around the world, and KLM sees them as an exceptional way of establishing contact with passengers.

The Embraer aircraft also support KLM’s customer focus. The new aircraft offer greater comfort and more space for passengers, therefore helping to create memorable journeys.

KLM Cityhopper currently operates the biggest Embraer fleet in Europe. By mid-2018, the overall KLC fleet will consist of no less than 49 aircraft produced by the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer. Delivery of the 46^th Embraer is expected in March.

KLM Cityhopper currently operates the biggest Embraer fleet in Europe. By mid-2018, the overall KLC fleet will consist of no less than 49 aircraft produced by the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer. The 44^th and 45^th Embraer aircraft are expected to arrive by the end of February.

KLM invests in fleet renewal

Once again in 2018, KLM will continue to invest in the renewal of its fleet to meet its customers’ needs and wishes. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Morgenster is the first aircraft to arrive in 2018. KLM will take possession of its twelfth Dreamliner in April.

The Boeing 787 creates less ambient noise, consumes less fuel, and gives off fewer carbon dioxide emissions. It brings us ever closer to our aim to reduce CO₂ emissions by 20% in 2020 compared to 2011. The Dreamliner is built mainly of carbon fibre composite which can be cut easily, so the manufacturing process creates less waste.

It also offers numerous advantages in terms of passenger comfort. The increased cabin air pressure helps passengers to arrive at their destination feeling well rested. And all passengers have access to WiFi during the flight.

Audio description is a means of making films and television programmes accessible to blind and visually impaired people. A narrator describes all the visual elements during breaks in dialogue. The narrator describes the characters, facial expressions, their location and plot developments.

*Available aboard all of KLM’s Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 aircraft.

KLM flight info easy to find through verified WhatsApp account

Offering flight information to customers through a verified WhatsApp business account makes information easy to access in a single place, making it available at the airport, en route or at home. Customers can also directly contact KLM’s social media service agents, 24/7, via WhatsApp. The service is available to customers who book tickets or check in via KLM.com and opt-in to receive information via WhatsApp.

Secure messages

Messages are secure so that they can only be read by the customer and KLM, and no one else, not even WhatsApp. Customers can easily recognise verified businesses using the official WhatsApp business application. This means that customers will see a green checkmark badge next to the KLM contact name on WhatsApp.

KLM and Social Media

Since 2009, KLM has gained a reputation as pioneer in the field of social media services and campaigns. KLM has over 25 million fans and followers on various social media platforms. Through these channels, KLM receives over 100,000 mentions every week, 15,000 of which are questions or remarks. These are personally answered by more than 250 service agents, who form the world’s largest, dedicated social media team. On WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, LinkedIn, WeChat and KakaoTalk (Korean), KLM offers her customers a 24/7 one-stop-shop in nine different languages: Dutch, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. During office hours, KLM also offers services in Italian. KLM was the world’s first airline to offer customers the option of receiving flight documents and status updates via Messenger, Twitter and WeChat.

Besides the Grand SpinAward, KLM won two silver awards for its digital magazine KLM iFly, in the categories ‘website’ and ‘design’. It also won a gold award in the category ‘digital service idea’ and a silver award in the category ‘innovation’ for KLM’s Messenger service.

Customer Centric DNA Awards

On 13 April 2017, at a Customer Centric DNA Awards ceremony in Utrecht, KLM was acknowledged as the most customer-centric organisation in the Public Transport category.

The CCDNA Awards offer insight into the most customer-centric organisations in the Netherlands. The winners of the 2017 CCDNA awards are selected by way of a benchmark study, which relies on the evaluations of consumers themselves, rather than the assessment of a panel of experts.

ADCN Awards

Also on 13 April 2017, KLM won two ADCN Awards (for advertising, design and creativity in the Netherlands) at a ceremony held in the Carré Theatre in Amsterdam. KLM won two Bronze Lamp Awards in the Advertising category, for its campaigns “Bonding Buffet” and “Nachtjeslampje”.