The first flight departed Amsterdam on May 21, 1946, making stops in Prestwick, Scotland, and Gander, Canada, before reaching New York. On board the Douglas C-54 Skymaster were 32 passengers. With this route, KLM became the first European airline to establish a regular connection to the United States, ushering in a new era for transatlantic aviation. Today, KLM and partner Delta Air Lines jointly operate four daily flights between Amsterdam and New York. Last year, KLM carried nearly half a million passengers and more than 17 million kilograms of cargo on this route. This makes the connection important not only for leisure travelers and business passengers, but also for the transport of time-sensitive and high-value goods, such as pharmaceutical products, high-tech equipment, fashion and luxury items, e-commerce shipments, and industrial components. In addition, the route plays an important role in the logistics chain for perishable goods and other specialized cargo flows between Europe and North America. Via New York, KLM also offers travelers access to an extensive network of destinations across North America.

A spirit of pioneering

The launch of the route was made possible in part by the determination of Albert Plesman, founder of KLM. His efforts enabled KLM to move ahead of its competitors and become the first European airline to launch scheduled service to New York. That pioneering spirit has always remained a hallmark of KLM. In the decades that followed, the airline introduced successive new aircraft types on the New York route, from the Boeing 747 to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Today, KLM continues to invest in fleet renewal with the aim of flying cleaner, quieter, and more efficiently.

Anniversary celebrations

KLM is marking this special anniversary today with partners, colleagues, and passengers at The New York Historical museum. To commemorate the occasion, an exclusive Delft Blue miniature house of The New York Historical is unveiled. Produced in a limited edition of 300 pieces, it will be distributed exclusively to guests attending the event. Also opening today at The New York Historical is a temporary exhibition on the history of the route and the longstanding ties between the Netherlands and New York.

Aviodrome, the Dutch aviation museum, is also opening its new exhibition “The PH-TAR and the Journey to the New World” on Thursday, May 21. With this exhibition, the museum commemorates eighty years of transatlantic scheduled service between the Netherlands and the United States. Through historical imagery, the exhibition tells the story of KLM’s first transatlantic flight and highlights how remarkable the direct connection between the Netherlands and New York was at the time. Visitors can also see a Douglas DC-4 painted in the PH-TAR livery, the same type of aircraft used for this historic flight, with its interior carefully restored to its former glory. The exhibition  will be open to visitors from today through the end of 2027.

More flights to popular destinations

Demand remains strong for European destinations such as London, Rome, and Berlin. For long-haul travel, passengers are choosing destinations including Tokyo, New York, Cape Town, and Curaçao.

KLM is increasing flight frequencies on these and other key routes:

Intercontinental:

• Tanzania: Daily service to Kilimanjaro/Dar es Salaam (previously 5x per week)
• Las Vegas: Daily through August (previously 5x per week)
• Osaka: Expanded to 5x per week, with an additional flight from late September
• Tokyo Narita: One extra weekly flight from late September
• Edmonton: 5x per week, increasing to 6x during peak season
• Cape Town: Two additional weekly flights from October
• Curaçao: Additional Sunday flight from October

Europe:

• Belfast: Twice daily
• Porto: Four times daily
• Barcelona: One additional daily flight
• Split: Twice daily in spring and autumn
• Krakow and Poznan: One additional daily flight
• Milan Linate: To improve service efficiency, KLM will consolidate all Milan flights at Linate Airport, which is closer to the city center. As a result, flights to Malpensa will be discontinued.

The MoU, signed at the 2025 IATA Annual General Meeting by Tony Douglas CEO Riyadh Air and Benjamin Smith CEO of Air France-KLM Group, sets the foundation for a dynamic partnership. Subject to regulatory approvals, the collaboration aims to gradually introduce a wide range of benefits for guests and to unlock new opportunities across Western Europe, North and South America, the Middle East, Asia, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This strategic partnership will focus on strengthening network connectivity, with both partners working together to maximize future opportunities through Riyadh Air’s hub in the capital of Saudi Arabia and Air France-KLM’s Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol airport hubs. The recent launch of Air France’s Paris Charles de Gaulle–Riyadh service, alongside KLM’s established Amsterdam–Riyadh operations, reflects the shared commitment to expanding travel options for guests.

Beyond route connectivity, Riyadh Air and Air France-KLM will collaborate to enhance the guest experience, exploring opportunities in reciprocal loyalty program rewards, operational support, and lounge access. The partnership also extends to areas such as Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO), digital transformation, sustainability, and cargo services—ensuring a comprehensive approach to delivering value.

As Riyadh Air embarks on its journey to become a leading global carrier, this partnership with Air France-KLM underlines a bold commitment to excellence, innovation, and exceptional guest experience.

Connecting Route Networks, 2022 and Beyond
IndiGo has had partnerships with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic and with Air France-KLM since 2022. Since then, Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic customers have had access to more than 30 IndiGo points in India.

More recently, IndiGo announced the start of service to Europe, which, in addition to expanding the existing partnership with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic transatlantic flights, facilitates a new partnership opportunity between IndiGo and Delta, enabling Indigo’s customers to connect to Delta’s broad transatlantic network.  After commercial contracts and regulatory procedures are completed to allow IndiGo to sell partner flights as its own under its own 6E* marketing codes, IndiGo customers will be able to book onward travel on select flights operated by its international partners, making it easier to reach destinations across Europe and North America. These include:

• KLM flights from Amsterdam to 30 points within Europe
• Delta and KLM flights from Amsterdam to the United States and Canada
• Virgin Atlantic flights from Manchester to the United States

For its part, KLM’s recently announced new route connecting Amsterdam with Hyderabad offers further opportunity for cooperation with IndiGo. With the route’s launch in September 2025, Air France-KLM will begin selling IndiGo flights to 24 destinations beyond Hyderabad. 

IndiGo has previously announced that it will enhance its fleet of damp leased B787 to six aircraft later this year and has in place a long-term firm order of 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, with options for 70 more. As these aircraft join IndiGo’s fleet, the airline’s long-haul expansion will enable further and deeper cooperation between IndiGo and Delta, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic in the future.

Delta, meanwhile, plans to resume services to India with nonstop flights between Atlanta and Delhi, subject to government approval. The service start date will be announced later. 

Future Collaboration
The MoU also creates a framework for deeper collaboration between the carriers on a bilateral and multilateral basis; contemplates commercial collaboration including network, loyalty, cargo and sales, subject to regulatory approvals; explores areas of non-commercial cooperation including aircraft maintenance, sustainability, training, ground handling; and acknowledges the need to develop advanced collaboration through use of technology to efficiently service joint customers. 

KLM flies more frequently to a number of intercontinental destinations during this summer schedule. For example, KLM offers the combined flight to Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) daily from June, compared to five times a week in the summer of 2024. This means almost 30% more seats than the summer schedule of 2024. KLM no longer flies to Zanzibar (Tanzania) this summer. KLM also offers Osaka (Japan) up to five times a week from April. Las Vegas (United States) can be reached daily with KLM this summer, an increase compared to the five flights per week in 2024. KLM also offers a daily flight to Rio de Janeiro, just like in the winter. Finally, Edmonton (Canada) can be reached five times a week, with six weekly flights during the peak period. In total, KLM offers approximately 10% more flights to North America compared to the summer of 2024.

In Europe, KLM offers three new destinations this summer: Ljubljana, Exeter and Biarritz. KLM is also concentrating its flights to Milan this summer at Linate Airport, which is more conveniently located in relation to the city centre. This means that flights to Malpensa Airport will be cancelled. KLM is also deploying its new Airbus A321neo more and more often, doubling the number from five to ten aircraft during the summer season. 

KLM is increasing some frequencies in Europe this summer. For example, KLM flies twice a day to Belfast (United Kingdom), four times a day to Porto (Portugal), an extra daily flight to Barcelona (Spain) and in the spring and autumn KLM flies two times a day to Split (Croatia). There will also be extra flights to Krakow and an extra daily flight to Poznan. Due to these frequency increases, KLM will offer almost 25% more seats to Portugal and Croatia compared to the summer schedule in 2024.

Amsterdam-Ljubljana 
From March 30, 2025, KLM will introduce daily flights between Amsterdam and Ljubljana. This route will be operated by an Embraer 190. 

• KL1989 departs from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) at 10:15 AM and arrives at Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU) at 12:05 PM. 
• KL1990 departs from Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport at 12:35 PM and arrives at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport at 2:25 PM. 

Ljubljana (LJU) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. The destination is interesting for both business travel and tourism. Slovenia has a lot to offer thanks to its highly varied landscape, beautiful nature, and rich culture. 

Amsterdam-Exeter 
From March 30, 2025, KLM will launch daily flights between Amsterdam and Exeter. This route will be operated by an Embraer 175, offering a quick and easy connection to Southwest England. 

• KL1101 departs from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) at 4:15 PM and arrives at Exeter Airport (EXT) at 4:50 PM local time. 
• KL1102 departs from Exeter Airport at 5:20 PM local time and arrives at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport at 7:50 PM. 

Exeter (EXT) is located in Southwest England and is the gateway to Devon and Cornwall. The city is northeast of the port city of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. The coastline (Jurassic Coast - UNESCO World Heritage) is known for its steep cliffs and unique landforms. Exeter is the 18th destination in the United Kingdom. Until 2019, there was a direct connection between Amsterdam and Exeter, but since the bankruptcy of FlyBe, this route was no longer offered. With the addition of Exeter to its network by KLM, there is once again a direct flight between these cities. 

Amsterdam-Biarritz 
From April 19, 2025, KLM will start seasonal flights to Biarritz. This route will be operated by an Embraer 190 and will offer daily flights during the peak season and two flights per week in the off-season. 

From April 19 to October 25, 2025 (on Saturday and Sunday): 

• KL1485 departs from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) at 2:20 PM and arrives at Biarritz Airport (BIQ) at 4:20 PM. 
• KL1486 departs from Biarritz Airport at 4:50 PM and arrives at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport at 6:50 PM. 

From June 30 to August 22, 2025 (Monday through Friday): 

• KL1485 departs from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) at 2:20 PM and arrives at Biarritz Airport (BIQ) at 4:20 PM. 
• KL1486 departs from Biarritz Airport at 4:50 PM and arrives at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport at 6:50 PM. 

Biarritz (BIQ) is a stylish seaside resort on the Bay of Biscay in southwestern France. The city is known as the surf capital of Europe. The French Basque region is the ideal holiday destination with a mix of beaches, forests, mountains, cities, and typical Basque villages.

About the three new destinations
San Diego is known for its mild climate, more than 100 km of coastline with diverse landscapes and a strong business community. As the third largest metropolitan area in California, San Diego has a robust business market, particularly in the semiconductor, aerospace, defense and pharmaceutical industries.

Georgetown is the capital and largest city of Guyana. Guyana is a rare place where you can still find nature in its original form, with coastal land, rainforest and savannahs. It also has a strong business traffic flow.

Hyderabad is the capital of the Indian state of Telangana and is known as the ‘pharma capital of India’ with over 800 pharmaceutical companies located in and around the city. In addition, many American and European IT companies have offices in Hyderabad. The city won the ‘World Green City Award’ in 2022.

Flight schedule
Starting from October 27, KLM will fly three times a week on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday between Schiphol and Portland in winter. In summer 2025, KLM will fly five times a week on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday between Schiphol and Portland. The flights are operated by the Boeing 787-9 and offer 30 seats in World Business Class, 21 seats in Premium Comfort Class, and 224 seats in Economy Class.

The winter flight schedule is as follows:

• KL615 departs from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (code: AMS) at 10:25 a.m. and arrives at 11:25 a.m. local time at Portland International Airport (code: PDX).
• KL616 departs from Portland International Airport at 1:25 p.m. local time and arrives the next day at 7:50 a.m. local time at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

The summer flight schedule (2025) is as follows:

• KL615 departs from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (code: AMS) at 10:40 a.m. and arrives at 11:30 a.m. local time at Portland International Airport (code: PDX).
• KL616 departs from Portland International Airport at 1:30 p.m. local time and arrives the next day at 7:55 a.m. local time at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. 

About Portland
Portland is the largest city of the state Oregon. It’s a year-round destination with a strong tourism sector, with many places of natural beauty such as Mt. Hood, Columbia River Gorge and Forest Park, as well as Portland’s award-winning culinary scene. It is also an important business destination, with the presence of leading companies in the sportswear, chip, automotive and healthcare industries.

KLM will increase flight frequency to various intercontinental destinations. We will operate more flights to Jakarta in combination with Kuala Lumpur, and to Denpasar in combination with Singapore. KLM has resumed direct flights to Osaka and will resume daily service to Tokyo Narita. Flight frequency will also be increased to Taipei, Hong Kong, Montreal, Toronto and Los Angeles. Capacity to North American destinations is currently above 2019 levels. These changing frequencies are part of an ongoing process whereby we adjust our network to market conditions, taking into account available aircraft and manpower.

KLM will resume daily service to Tel Aviv From Monday 1 April. This service will be operated with a stopover at Larnaca until at least 19 May. KLM is closely monitoring the security situation in Israel.

In Europe, KLM will increase flight frequency to various destinations this summer. In Scandinavia, KLM will operate daily service to Billund (Denmark) and Stavanger (Norway). In Great Britain, flight frequency will be increased to Edinburgh, Newcastle, Glasgow and Southampton. As was the case this winter, KLM will continue to serve Marseille in the summer and will operate daily service to Nice. In Poland, frequency will be increased to Krakow, Gdansk and Wroclaw. KLM will also increase flight frequency to Prague (Czech Republic) this summer. In Italy, KLM will increase frequency to Bologna, Florence and Genoa.

By contrast, the minister is opting for unnecessary reductions rather than actual improvements. We find it inconceivable that the minister plans to tear down what KLM has helped build over almost 104 years.

We do everything we can to make flying cleaner, quieter and more efficient. We carry that responsibility on a day-to-day basis. Drastically cutting the number of flight movements at Schiphol isn’t necessary to reduce noise levels. We demonstrated this in the “cleaner, quieter and more efficient” plan submitted to the minister on 15 June. The plan was verified externally by the independent Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR). By acquiring new, quieter aircraft, introducing smarter operational processes and by – as far as possible – deploying the quietest aircraft at night, our plan will achieve the night-time targets immediately and, after only three years, will deliver even more to local residents throughout the day and night. Innovation in the airline industry will enable us to fly cleaner, quieter and more efficient aircraft worldwide.

The Netherlands faces major challenges in the coming decades, which will require everyone to help make our country greener and cleaner. At the same time, we want to ensure quieter conditions for people living near airports. That is why the Dutch ministry has set new noise targets.

The minister’s plan focuses on drastically reducing the number of flights to achieve these targets as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, this proposal also has many drawbacks. In its current form, the minister’s plan does not revolve around renewal and improvement. No distinction is drawn between newer and older aircraft, which are less clean and less silent. The plan also fails to consider that drastic cutbacks in flights will have an impact on national assets. 

The KLM Group therefore proposes a smarter, three-pronged approach.

Firstly: investment in new aircraft. The money we’re earning today will be invested in tomorrow’s cleaner, quieter, more efficient aircraft. The KLM Group will be investing EUR 6 to 7 billion in this in the coming years. New aircraft are on average 50% more silent than the aircraft they replace, constituting a substantial reduction in noise impact, as supported by figures gathered in recent years.

Secondly, the KLM Group has conducted extensive research into adopting smarter processes that will ensure quieter operations. This will also substantially reduce noise impact. Examples include alternative flight approach procedures, ensuring that aircraft spend less time at low altitudes. This implies different climbing and approach procedures, which makes implementation challenging for airlines as well as Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL). However, if all other operators join the KLM Group in pursuing such change, we will be able to achieve our noise targets in cooperation with Schiphol, LVNL and the government. If these agreements are monitored by the Human Environ­ment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT), we can ensure that all airlines adhere to them.

Thirdly, we will adjust flight schedules so that we deploy our quietest aircraft at night. We also propose that higher airport fees are charged for noisier aircraft than for silent aircraft at Schiphol. This will ensure that there is an incentive for all airlines operating at Schiphol to reduce noise impact by deploying their most silent fleet.

We will achieve our night-time targets from 2024 and, in three years’ time, we will achieve our target for the entire day. In the years thereafter, our plan will lead to a stronger decline in noise than the plan proposed by the minister. In three years’ time, the result will already be better for local residents. It’s a choice between scrapping flights as a short-term solution or aiming for smart improvement.

If everyone is prepared to contribute to this challenge, then our plan will ensure that 18% fewer people experience serious nigh-time noise impact by 2024. By 2026, our smart plan will ensure that 20% fewer people will experience noise nuisance through­out the day. This reduction will continue in subsequent years.

Our aim is to reduce impact on the areas surrounding airports. Aiming solely for fewer flights and a strict 2024 deadline, is not the only way. There are other ways to solve this problem. Our approach ensures that noise impact will continue to decline.

We fully accept our responsibility and are acting accordingly. That is why we wish to engage constructively with one another, so that we opt for the smartest approach that will demonstrably lead to a cleaner, quieter, more fuel-efficient solution.

In that context, the KLM Group, together with other parties in the sector (easyJet, TUI, Corendon, BARIN), sought possible packages of measures that comply with the principles of the Balanced Approach. This has resulted in a package of measures that meets the stated noise targets and is more balanced, reasonable and less costly to society in welfare and prosperity.

Update 31 August 2023: the entire document that was sent to the minister can now be found under downloads.

Click on the image to enlarge or download the infographic

Europe 
Following the success of the Nantes route last winter, KLM is adding this city to its summer schedule. Nantes will be served by three daily flights. A daily service will operate to Rennes, the regional capital of Brittany, from the start of the summer schedule.

Asia
KLM is further expanding its route network in Asia, following disruptions caused by Covid-19. KLM will operate services to 16 Asian destinations in summer 2023, doubling the number of flights to the region compared with 2022. KLM operates daily services to Beijing and Shanghai. The airline also is once more operating services three times a week to Hong Kong and twice a week to Taipei via Incheon (South Korea).

In Japan, KLM operates a twice weekly service to Osaka via Incheon (South Korea), as well as three weekly flights to Tokyo's Narita Airport, also via Incheon. Additionally, there is a direct service twice a week to Tokyo. The frequency on this route will increase in September to five direct flights a week to Tokyo.

KLM also serves the Indonesian destinations of Denpasar and Jakarta via Singapore.
Manila (Philippines) is served five times a week via Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
In India, there is a daily service to Delhi and Mumbai, and five weekly flights to Bangalore.

North America
KLM operates services to 18 North American destinations. In the USA, these include New York, Atlanta, Austin, Washington, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The route network is expanding this summer to include 13 flights a week to Toronto in Canada, compared with 10 flights in 2022. KLM also operates services to the Canadian cities of Edmonton, Montreal and Vancouver.
KLM's new Premium Comfort class is available on flights to New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Toronto and Calgary.

Middle East
A daily service will operate to Dubai and Tel Aviv (Israel). Tel Aviv will be operated with the widebody Boeing 777.   
KLM also operates a daily service to Kuwait, four times a week in combination with Bahrain and three times a week in combination with Muscat.
KLM operates to Dammam in combination with Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) six times a week. 

Caribbean and Suriname
KLM is operating daily services to Curaçao this summer. During the high season, in July and August, there will be as many as 10 flights a week to the island. There will also be a daily service to the islands of Aruba and Bonaire.
Paramaribo will be served by six weekly flights and KLM will also operate three weekly services to Port of Spain and Sint Maarten.

South America
KLM is operating services to 10 destinations in South America this summer, including daily services to Sao Paulo (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Panama City (Panama). Flights to Costa Rica will operate according to the winter schedule until mid May, with three weekly flights to San José in combination with Liberia (Costa Rica).

Africa
Passengers will be able to fly KLM to 10 African destinations this summer. Tropical Zanzibar will be served by two weekly flights in combination with Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. And daily services will operate to Nairobi, Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Action Plan for Rail and Air Services
KLM is a staunch advocate of the Dutch Action Plan for Rail and Air Services, aimed at improving international train travel as an alternative to flying at six priority destinations (Brussels, Paris, London, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Berlin). The Action Plan was drawn up in late 2020 by Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Dutch rail network operator ProRail, KLM and NS Dutch Railways. KLM’s approach to sustainability focuses on reducing emissions and noise impact, and the ongoing development of its air/rail product forms part of these efforts.

Evaluation of pilot
During the 2022 pilot, customer surveys showed that several improvements were needed such as easier transfers for air/rail passengers at Schiphol, assists for rail customers with luggage, and communication with customers – especially non-European passengers, who are often unfamiliar with Thalys. These obstacles must be removed before KLM can permanently replace flights to and from Brussels with rail capacity. To accomplish this, KLM will need all of its Action Plan partners to cooperate. After all, it has no control over the trains, the railway platforms or the airport.

The increased number of flights from 26 March, 2023, marks the next step in the resumption of routes from and via Amsterdam to Greater China. The Chinese market is important to the KLM network, because of the level of demand from business travellers.

The planned schedules for the summer schedule are as follows:

Amsterdam - Hong Kong               Tues./Thurs./Sat.
Hong Kong – Amsterdam              Wed./Fri./Sun.

Amsterdam – Beijing                      daily
Beijing – Amsterdam                      daily

Amsterdam – Shanghai                  daily
Shanghai – Amsterdam                 daily      

Detailed flight times, days and fares may be consulted on KLM.com or in the KLM app

All flight schedules mentioned herein are subject to changes in travel restrictions and governmental authorizations.

We recommend passengers check the latest travel regulations prior to departure. A facemask must be worn on flights to and from China. See klm.traveldoc.aero for more information.

North America
In total, KLM will be serving 19 destinations in North America (Canada, US, Mexico) this winter, accounting for 11% more seats compared to 2019.

KLM will for example be flying to Los Angeles ten times a week this winter, representing three extra flights a week compared to last winter. Service to Austin, which launched in summer, will continue. KLM will continue to serve the winter destination of Cancun which was introduced in 2021.

This winter, KLM’s new Premium Comfort Class will be available for booking to several destinations in the US and Canada. In this class, which combines elements of both Economy Class and World Business Class, customers will be able to experience KLM’s new service concept in a separate part of the cabin offering comfortable seats and plenty of legroom.

Caribbean and Suriname
The number of seats to the Caribbean (especially the Netherlands Antilles) has been increased by more than 20% this winter, compared to 2019. For example, KLM will serve Curaçao at least 10 times a week, with two flights daily during the Christmas period. The daily flight to Aruba – combined with Bonaire – will be operated using KLM’s largest aircraft in the fleet, the Boeing 777-300ER (seating 408).

As in winter 2021, KLM will also be operating flights to Bridgetown (Barbados) and Port of Spain (Trinidad & Tobago) this season.

South America
The number of seats available on flights to South America will increase by 6% this winter compared to 2021. KLM will be operating daily service to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru. Costa Rica will be served four times a week.

KLM will operate five flights a week to Paramaribo, also using Boeing 777-300ER equipment. KLM will also start combining Buenos Aires (Argentina) with Santiago de Chile (Chile) again.

Africa
KLM will introduce three additional flights a week to Cape Town, South Africa. In addition to the daily “day flight”, customers will now be able to choose “night flights” three times a week. This winter, customers will also be able to fly to Zanzibar in combination with Dar es Salaam (both in Tanzania).

It will be increasingly possible to book KLM’s new Premium Comfort Class on flights to Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. KLM will be reconfiguring more long-haul aircraft to offer this new class in the coming period, starting with its Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

Asia
The number of seats available to Asia will increase by no less than 50% compared to last year, because many Southeast Asian destinations have reopened their doors to foreign visitors.

Flights to and from Tokyo Narita will again be operated non-stop this winter. However, KLM’s flights are still being diverted since Russian airspace is closed.

Services to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) – heading on to Jakarta (Indonesia) – will also be operated directly this winter as opposed to flying via Singapore.

KLM resumed service to Bangalore (India) last summer. These flights will continue this winter.

Flights to China will remain limited for the time being. KLM will fly to Shanghai/Hangzhou three times a week this winter with a stopover in Seoul Incheon.

This cooperative venture is an important first step in KLM’s implementation of the Dutch government’s Action Plan for Rail and Air Services (Actieagenda Trein en Luchtvaart). This action plan was jointly released at the end of 2020 by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in consultation with Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, ProRail, KLM and NS Dutch Railways. The plan stipulates actions and measures ensuring that international rail travel becomes a logical alternative supplementing airline services on routes shorter than 700 kilometres. For some time now, KLM has offered transfer passengers the option of boarding a Thalys high-speed train instead of a flight on the Brussels-Schiphol leg of their journey (or vice versa). Before the Covid-19 pandemic, 20 to 25% of these passengers (some 36,000 customers) chose this option.  This trial is aimed at improving the customer experience.

Moreover, KLM is working with NS Dutch Railways and other European railway companies to explore the options of additional high-speed, comfortable rail services for transfer passengers to other destinations.

The remarkable thing about the air-rail product being introduced today is that passengers will find it very similar to the air-to-air transfer experience to which they are accustomed. Passengers can, for instance, now check in for their full journey via KLM. Their boarding pass is valid for both the rail service and flight. Furthermore, KLM will be keeping passengers fully informed with travel updates. The air-rail service also offers passengers a more sustainable travel option.

This trial is set to continue until 29 October 2022, after which an in-depth evaluation will take place, with the partners assessing options for further developing the air-rail product.

Rail schedule
The following rail services will feature the new KLM air-rail product:

- BRU-AMS: TH9357, daily except Saturdays, TH9351 on Saturdays
  Mon/Tues/Wed/Thurs/Fri/Sun - departs: 16:52, arrives: 18:25; Sat – departs: 15:52, arrives: 17:25.
- AMS-BRU: TH9376 daily except Saturdays, TH9382 on Saturdays
Mon/Tues/Wed/Thurs/Fri/Sun - departs: 17:34, arrives 19:08; Sat. – departs 18:34, arrives 20:08

These are all local times (CET).

·         Through 28 August, we will cancel 10 to 20 return flights to European destinations every day.

·         We will also strongly restrict the sale of remaining seats on KLM and KLM Cityhopper flights to European destinations. This will free up space for customers who are rebooked if their flight is cancelled. This measure will supplement the existing restriction on sales, in order to accommodate passengers who have to be rebooked after missing their flight due to long queues at Schiphol and to comply with restrictions Schiphol has imposed on the number of passengers boarding locally.

·         Customers who can’t fly will be informed in a timely manner and rebooked onto a different flight. In most cases, this flight will depart on the same day or as close as possible to the original booking. Passengers will not have to contact KLM for this purpose, but will be informed by KLM or their travel agent.

·         Cargo will not longer be booked and loaded onto KLM Cityhopper flights. This will reduce work pressure for handling staff on the ground.

·         We will also close the belly compartment for loose packages and mail bags aboard flights bound for intercontinental destinations. This loose bulk freight will be placed in containers, which will be brought in via the apron, making them easier to load onto the aircraft.

Measures relating to airfreight will remain in place until the end of the summer schedule (29 October).

KLM is confident that these measures will ensure smooth handling of incoming and outgoing flights in the coming weeks. KLM reasserts that these measures are temporary.

It is not enough to simply make these train seats available, however. Transfer passengers have specific demands and the majority continue to opt for air-air transfer. That is why KLM and Thalys have decided to take the next step in developing their AirRail product, in keeping with the Dutch government’s Action Agenda for Rail and Aviation (Actieagenda Trein en Luchtvaart), dating from 2020.

What are KLM and Thalys planning to do?

Several criteria vital to the success of any replacement rail service have been defined and are endorsed by both the railway and airline sectors:

1.       International trains must stop at Schiphol.

2.       Air and rail arrivals and departures must be coordinated.

3.       Airline and railway IT systems must be able to communicate with each other (e.g. for check-in, boarding, rebooking passengers in the event of disruption and so on).

4.       Railway baggage handling must also be integrated, with trains having secure baggage compartments and with efficient baggage transfer procedures at Schiphol to ensure speed and convenience.

5.       Passengers arriving at Schiphol by rail must have a separate transit route to the gate.

Thalys already meets the first two criteria on the Schiphol-Brussels route. With respect to criteria 3, communication between IT systems, KLM and Thalys have found a workaround: the seats KLM purchases on Thalys trains are entered manually into KLM’s IT system, ensuring that customers who travel by rail enjoy the same level of service and the same efficient communication as those who opt for air travel.

This means that customers can check in and receive boarding passes at Brussels-Midi/Zuid railway station for their entire journey, both rail and air. KLM updates and rebooks customers in the event of disruptions in both rail and air services. KLM also offers customers information on transfers and on how to prepare for their journey. KLM and Thalys will ask their international customers to help them evaluate this temporary workaround.

Passengers should be able to hand over checked baggage at the railway station for forwarding to their final destination. Ideally, they should also have a separate transit route at Schiphol to ensure a smooth transfer. That is not yet the case. KLM will be discussing how best to meet these criteria with the relevant parties.

 

Image: Boet Kreiken (KLM, left) and Bertrand Gosselin (Thalys, right)

Train timetable

Timetable for the trains on which KLM has purchased seats:

- BRU-AMS: TH9357 daily except Saturdays, TH9351 on Saturdays
  Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri/Sun d. 16:52 a. 18:25; Sat d. 15:52 a. 17:25
- AMS-BRU: TH9376 daily except Saturdays, TH9382 on Saturdays
    Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri/Sun d. 17:34 a. 19:08; Sat d. 18:34 a. 20:08

All times are local times.

Demand for air travel is increasing as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted in the Netherlands and other EU countries. KLM has responded by expanding capacity on European routes by 10% compared to last year, almost matching the 2019 pre-pandemic level. This amounts to about 16 million seats in total. The Portuguese cities of Porto and Lisbon, with three and four flights a day respectively, are just some of the destinations seeing an increase in KLM flights.

The success of the new destinations of Belgrade, Dubrovnik and Palma de Mallorca, which were added to the KLM route network last year, means they will once again be included in the summer schedule. KLM also expects business travellers to return, which is why frequencies are added to British, German and Polish routes.

Services to Kyiv, St Petersburg and Moscow continue to be suspended. KLM is keeping a close eye on developments in the region.

Intercontinental: frequently to the Caribbean and more often to the USA

KLM has also increased capacity on its intercontinental route network by 17% compared to last year, in response to a rising trend in bookings. This summer, we will operate daily flights to Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, increasing the frequency to Curaçao to twice daily during the summer holiday season. Port of Spain, KLM's new tropical destination in the winter schedule, is included in the summer schedule too, offering customers thrice weekly flights between Amsterdam and the capital of Trinidad and Tobago. 

Since the USA eased travel restrictions in November 2021, demand for flights has grown steadily. KLM capacity to the USA this summer matches that of 2019. The resumption of flights to Salt Lake City and the new addition of Austin to our route network, means we will be operating direct services this summer to 12 destinations in the USA, the highest number ever. Austin, the state capital of Texas, is a flourishing technology hub and home to a large number of technology companies. It is also a thriving student city with a vibrant nightlife, Formula 1 and the major South by Southwest annual festival (SXSW). KLM operates three flights a week to Austin.

We are also seeing more and more countries in Asia opening up to visitors again. Although Covid-19 travel restrictions vary from country to country, summer demand is increasing for such destinations as the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Bali. India too has indicated that it will be easing travel restrictions. KLM will respond by increasing frequencies to Delhi and Mumbai. Asia continues to be a strong and important market for cargo, allowing us to continue to operate lower frequency services to all pre-pandemic destinations.

Travel restrictions continue to apply in China, which means we cannot yet resume our usual network services to China. Due to EU sanctions against Russia, KLM is not operating in Russian airspace. Flight times to and from South Korea, Japan and China are consequently on average two hours longer than usual. Flights to Japan and China are currently making a stopover in Seoul.

Capacity on most routes to South America has been restored to more or less pre-pandemic levels. We are currently operating daily services to Sao Paulo, Panama City and Lima, with a minimum of six flights a week to Quito/Guayaquil, Bogota/Cartagena, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires/Santiago de Chile.

Passengers wanting to fly to Africa this summer can now choose between ten destinations. Capacity has been expanded on many routes, compared to last summer, to meet the growing demand. Zanzibar, which was added to our route network last year, is once again included in the summer schedule. KLM is also operating services to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Accra, Lagos, Kigali, Entebbe, Nairobi, Kilimanjaro, and Dar es Salaam.

KLM offers excellent hygiene, flexible booking and high customer ratings

KLM flies passengers to their destinations in a fully responsible manner. KLM pursues the highest standard of hygiene before, during and after every flight, earning Diamond Status from the APEX research agency. This makes KLM one of the world’s trendsetting airlines in terms of hygiene and health safety. KLM also offers its customers maximum flexibility when booking, altering or cancelling a trip. In this regard, APEX also awarded KLM five stars, based on passengers’ evaluations of our product and services.

United States network

KLM’s winter schedule for its US network is as follows:

All times are local. Schedules are subject to change. Check KLM.com for up to date flight information.

Transferring

Travelers from VTL countries other than the Netherlands can transfer in Amsterdam to the two VTL flights to Singapore and beyond provided they meet the VTL requirements. Dutch travelers can also transfer in Singapore to flights within Asia, provided they meet the stipulated entry requirements of the destination.

Flight schedule to Singapore

KLM flights from Amsterdam to Singapore are operated with either a Boeing 777-300ER or a Boeing 787. KLM's flight schedule from Amsterdam to Singapore is as follows:

KLM flight KL833/KL839 will continue as tail-end flight between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur

KLM flight KL837 will continue as a tail-end flight between Singapore and Jakarta

KLM: high standards of hygiene, flexible bookings and high customer appreciation

KLM has set the highest possible standard in hygiene measures, both before, during and after the journey, for which research agency APEX awarded KLM Diamond Status and Skytrax the COVID-19 Airline Excellence Award. This places KLM among the leading airlines in terms of hygiene and health safety.

In addition, KLM offers its customers maximum flexibility in booking, changing or canceling their travel. KLM has also once again been awarded five stars by APEX, based on passengers' own assessments of the service and product.

KLM previously announced that it would expand its winter schedule with services to four new destinations: Cancun (Mexico), Port of Spain (Trinidad & Tobago), Bridgetown (Barbados) and Mombasa (Kenya).

Network strategy
Restoring a global network of destinations is the focal point of KLM’s strategy to emerge from the coronavirus crisis as a stronger and more competitive airline. From the start of the coronavirus pandemic, KLM has maintained as much of its network as possible. This ensured that passengers could continue to make (essential) trips and that cargo, including medical goods and vaccines, could be transported. This strategy was of great benefit to KLM during the pandemic and now makes it easier to scale up operations. KLM will continue to insist on greater consistency in policy on travel restrictions.

Flight schedules
KLM’s flight schedules to Miami and Las Vegas from 6 December 2021 will be as follows:

Miami

*arrival the next day

Las Vegas

*arrival the next day

KLM offers excellent hygiene, flexible booking, high customer ratings
KLM flies passengers to their destination with all due care and caution. KLM has adopted the very highest hygiene standards, before, during and after the flight, earning Diamond Status from the APEX research institute. This makes KLM an industry trend-setter in terms of hygiene and health safety. Moreover, KLM offers customers maximum flexibility when it comes to booking, rebooking or cancelling their trip. KLM also earned the maximum five-star score from APEX, based on passenger scores for our service and product.

Health and fighting COVID-19 are paramount but the measures taken must be effective and proportionate. It looks like other EU member states, such as Italy, France and Belgium are not putting a triple lock on the door for travelers from the US.  

The decision by the Dutch government is a big step backwards for KLM. As a result, KLM is forced to remove the proposed new flights from Amsterdam to Orlando, Miami and Las Vegas this winter (October 31, 2021 through March 26, 2022) from its winter schedule until further notice. Travelers will be informed starting next week. 

In terms of intercontinental service, the number of passenger flights will be around 50-60% of pre-corona levels. If we include our cargo-only services, we will be operating around 65% of our flights.

Network strategy

During the course of the pandemic, KLM strategically opted to restore service to as many of its network destinations as possible. In response to the prevailing circumstances, we are doing so with fewer flights and smaller aircraft. This means our customers have the widest possible choice of destinations, enabling us to maintain our network through our Amsterdam hub. We are also serving many of our intercontinental destinations on a cargo-only basis, in compliance with current travel restrictions.

This strategy has proved successful in recent months and has ensured that we did not have to trim our network as rigorously as some other airlines. August and September showed clear signs of recovery.

Regrettably, the second wave has led to new restrictions throughout Europe, not just in the Netherlands. Capacity will therefore be trimmed again into the coming period. KLM will maintain its existing network strategy, even adding several new destinations. Depending on developments, further adjustments will be made in the coming period.

New destinations

The corona pandemic confirms that a flexible network is very important. By opening new routes, we can make up for declining demand on other routes. KLM also strengthens its market position whenever it adds a new destination to its network. The following services have been recently added or will be added in the coming months:

• Effective 4 January, KLM will operate four weekly flights to Riyadh (Saudi-Arabia);
• Effective 10 December, KLM will operate twice-weekly service to Zanzibar, with a stop in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) on the return leg to Amsterdam;
• Since 8 November, we have operated thrice-daily service to the new airport Berlin Brandenburg (Germany);
• On 29 October, KLM resumed its circle flight Amsterdam-Calgary-Edmonton-Amsterdam, thus restoring service to Edmonton;
• Since 25 October, we have operated daily service to Poznan (Poland);
• Since 24 October, KLM has resumed weekly service from Amsterdam to Chengdu and from Beijing to Amsterdam.

KLM was gradually and responsibly expanding its European and intercontinental network, after the corona crisis had prompted severe restrictions on destinations and frequencies. KLM’s primary aim is to offer customers the widest range of destinations, after which we will consider increasing the number of frequencies or expanding capacity by deploying larger aircraft.

In August, KLM served almost 100% of its European network in terms of destinations, with capacity at approximately 60% compared to pre-corona levels. Effective 25 October 2020, KLM will begin operating daily flights to the Polish city of Poznan.

Intercontinentally, KLM served 80% of its destinations at 60% capacity. At present, a third of these intercontinental flights are carrying cargo only. This means seat capacity is way down. KLM will carry passengers on these flights again as soon as local travel regulations allow.

From the beginning of September, KLM will resume a twice-weekly service to the Chinese city of Hangzhou, flying via Seoul Incheon in South Korea. KLM will also operate a twice-weekly service to Cairo. Riyadh will also be added to the KLM network as a new destination (original start was September 26th, but is now scheduled for December 7th). On 29 October, KLM will also start a circle flight to add Edmonton back to the Canadian network. The flight will depart to Calgary, then call at Edmonton and fly back to Amsterdam.

Slot Waiver 

It is good news that the European Commission has announced the extension of the so-called 'slot waiver' to the entire winter timetable. It will enable KLM to respond more adequately to the rapidly changing market conditions as a result of COVID-19, even during the winter season. In addition to the financial impact, operating less well-filled flights would also be undesirable from a sustainability perspective.

Safety remains our chief priority

KLM has, of course, taken measures to ensure that its flights are safe for passengers and crew. Face masks are compulsory throughout boarding and during the flight. Extra hygiene measures have been taken on board and our aircraft are now cleaned even more thoroughly. The air on board is constantly refreshed with the aid of HEPA filters. For further information about our hygiene measures, please visit updates.klm.com or watch this video: 

https://youtu.be/frPO6b58kcU

Naturally, KLM will make adjustments in response to changing circumstances, whenever new measures are taken in the countries we serve.

The flight schedule is as follows:

• KL 0857 departs from Amsterdam on Thursday at 18.55 hrs and arrives in Seoul Incheon at 12.25 hrs the next day. KL 0821 departs from Seoul Incheon at 13.50 hrs and arrives in Hanghzou at 15.00 hrs.
• KL 0822 departs from Hangzhou on Friday at 18.50 hrs and arrives in Seoul Incheon at 21.55 hrs. KL 0858 departs from Seoul Incheon on Saturday at 00.25 hrs and arrives in Amsterdam at 04.45 hrs.

All times are local.

Extra hygiene measures

Naturally, KLM has taken measures to ensure that flights are safe for both passengers and staff. For example, face masks are mandatory when boarding and during the flight, extra hygiene equipment is on board and KLM's aircraft are additionally cleaned using suitable cleaning agents. The air on board is quickly refreshed using HEPA filters. For more information about the hygiene measures on board, see this video: https://youtu.be/frPO6b58kcU

KLM complies with the strict requirements set by the Chinese government for the resumption of international flights. This means that passengers must complete a health declaration online and that the temperature of passengers is checked. The toilets, for example, are also inspected extra frequently during the flight. Furthermore, there are as few contact moments as possible between crew and passengers, which means there is limited catering available on these flights.

KLM is slowly and carefully expanding its European and intercontinental network. KLM's first priority is to offer its customers as much choice of destinations as possible. This may be followed by an increase in the number of frequencies and/or capacity by deploying larger aircraft.

Flight schedule

Flights to Cairo will be operated from 9 September 2020 with Boeing 777-200ER aircraft. Flight times are as follows:

• From 9 to 28 September, KL 0553 departs from Amsterdam on Wednesday and Saturday at 19.10 hours and arrives in Cairo at 23.30 hours. KL 0554 departs from Cairo on Thursday and Sunday at 01.20 hrs and arrives in Amsterdam at 06.00 hrs.
• From 30 September to 23 October, KL 0553 leaves Amsterdam on Wednesday and Friday at 19.10 hrs and arrives in Cairo at 23.30 hrs. KL 0554 departs from Cairo on Thursday and Saturday at 01.20 hrs and arrives in Amsterdam at 06.00 hrs.

All times are local.

Safety remains paramount

Naturally, KLM has taken measures to ensure that flights are safe for both passengers and staff. For example, face masks are mandatory when boarding and during the flight, extra hygiene equipment is on board and KLM's aircraft are additionally cleaned using suitable cleaning agents. The air on board is quickly refreshed using HEPA filters. For more information about the hygiene measures on board, see this video: https://youtu.be/frPO6b58kcU

In addition, KLM naturally adapts to changing circumstances when governments in various countries take new measures.

Poznan is new in the KLM network. By adding this destination, KLM strengthens its position on the Polish market and absorbs the drop in demand on other routes in Europe.

Poznan flight schedule

KLM will be flying between Schiphol Airport and Poznan on a daily basis as of 25 October this year. An Embraer 175 with 20 seats in Business Class and 68 in Economy Class will be used on the route. The flight schedule is as follows:

• KL1273 departs from Schiphol at 14.40 hrs and lands in Poznan at 16.20 hrs.
• KL1274 departs from Poznan at 16.50 hours and lands at Schiphol at 18.35 hours.

All times are local.

About Poznan

Poznan is located in western Poland on the River Warta and is the fifth largest city in the country. It is an important commercial and industrial city. Poznan has 28 colleges and universities. The history of the city is impressive. The oldest cathedral of Poland can be found here.

The intercontinental network is still slightly behind compared to last year, when 69 destinations were offered between August and October. Currently, one third of intercontinental flights only carry cargo. As soon as local travel rules allow, KLM will start carrying passengers on these flights again. The number of flights is also lagging behind: around 2,000 in August and September and just over 1,800 in October. Last year there were about 3,300, 3,200 and almost 2,600 flights respectively.

KLM has opted to expand the number of destinations first, so that customers have the widest possible choice. The next step is to increase frequencies or increase capacity by deploying larger aircraft on certain routes.

Safety remains paramount

Naturally, KLM has taken measures to ensure that flights are safe for both passengers and staff. For example, face masks are mandatory when boarding and during the flight, there are extra hygiene equipment on board, and KLM's aircraft are cleaned extra thoroughly. The air on board is quickly refreshed using HEPA filters. For more information about the hygiene measures on board, please watch this video: https://youtu.be/frPO6b58kcU.

In addition, KLM naturally adapts to changing circumstances, with governments in various countries taking new measures.

New destinations

New destinations have also been added: Cork (Ireland), Southampton (United Kingdom) and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). The corona crisis has impacted the airline industry heavily. Supply and demand are now subject to greater, more rapid change than before. This means that KLM must maintain an especially resilient network. Less demand on some routes is compensated for by opening up new routes. Additionally, KLM is strengthening its position in the market – in this case, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the Middle East.

Using Embraer 175 equipment, Cork and Southampton will be served daily with effect from 3 and 31 August respectively. Riyadh will be served four times a week using Airbus A330 equipment with effect from 28 September.

With the reopening of the Amsterdam-Shanghai route, KLM emphasizes the importance of the Chinese market in its network. The warm ties were the reason for Economic Counselor Chinese Embassy Mr. Zhang Guosheng and KLM's CEO Mr. Pieter Elbers to see this first flight off.

Photos: Mr. Zhang Guosheng, Economic Counselor Chinese Embassy and Mr. Pieter Elbers, president & CEO KLM, see the first passenger flight from KLM to Shanghai off on Tuesday 21 July.

Additional hygiene measures

Naturally, KLM has taken measures to ensure that the flight is safe for both passengers and crew. For example, face masks are mandatory when boarding and during the flight, there are extra hygiene equipment on board, such as hand sanitizer, and KLM's aircraft are thoroughly cleaned. The air on board is quickly refreshed using HEPA filters. For more information about the hygiene measures on board, see this video: https://youtu.be/frPO6b58kcU

KLM naturally complies with the strict requirements set by the Chinese government for the resumption of international flights. This means that passengers must complete a health declaration form online and that the temperature of passengers is checked. The toilets, for example, are also inspected extra frequently during the flight. Furthermore, there are as few contact moments as possible between crew and passengers, which means there is limited catering available on these flights.

Riyadh flight schedule

KLM will fly directly from Amsterdam to Riyadh 4 times a week. On the way back, this flight will make a short stopover in Dammam in Saudi Arabia, a destination that was already included in the KLM network before the corona crisis. The flights will be operated with the Airbus A330-200 with 18 seats in World Business Class and 246 seats in Economy Class.

Muscat combined with Abu Dhabi

The flights to Muscat will be operated with a short stopover in Abu Dhabi from 3 August. There will be 3 flights per week. The Amsterdam-Abu Dhabi-Muscat-Abu Dhabi-Amsterdam route will be operated using the Boeing 787-9 with 30 seats in World Business Class and 264 seats in Economy Class.

Reopening flights to Kuwait-Bahrain

As part of the slow expansion of the KLM network, flights via Kuwait to Bahrain will also be restarted on 29 September 2020. It concerns 3 flights per week.

Flight schedule to Dubai will remain unchanged

The flights from Amsterdam to Dubai will remain unchanged. KLM operates daily flights on this route with a Boeing 777-200 with 34 seats in World Business Class and 286 seats in Economy Class.

Seven destinations in the Gulf States

As of 28 September, KLM offers a total of 7 destinations in the Gulf States from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol: Dubai and Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Dammam and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Muscat (Oman), Manama (Bahrain) and Kuwait City (Kuwait).

Please note that flight times may be subject to change.

KLM is in the process of slowly and carefully rebuilding the network. The number of destinations is growing rapidly, but the number of flights is still far from the old level. KLM has opted to first offer customers as much choice of destinations as possible. Opening Southampton fits in this strategy.

Flight schedule Southampton

From 31 August 2020, KLM will operate daily flights between Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Southampton. The Embraer 175 has 20 seats in Business Class, 8 in Economy Comfort and 60 in Economy Class.

The flight schedule is as follows:

- KL0919 departs from Amsterdam daily at 16.35 and arrives in Southampton at 16.45.

- KL 0920 departs from Southampton daily at 17.20 and arrives in Amsterdam at 19.35.

All times are local.

About Southampton

Southampton is the third largest port in the United Kingdom and the largest cruise port in Northern Europe, with 2 million cruise passengers a year. The city has some of the best preserved medieval city walls in England. A visit to the historic docks is also highly recommended. And the ultra-modern SeaCity Museum tells the story of the Titanic, which left Southampton on 10 April 1912.

KLM is in the process of slowly and carefully rebuilding its network. The number of destinations is growing rapidly, but the number of flights is still far from the pre-crisis level. KLM has opted to first offer customers as much choice of destinations as possible. After that, we will examine whether the number of flights to a destination can be increased or whether capacity can be increased by using a larger aircraft.

The opening of Cork was initially planned for the end of March. Due to the corona crisis it was postponed.

Flight schedule

Cork is the second destination in Ireland for KLM, next to Dublin. As of 3 August 2020, KLM will operate daily flights between Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Cork Airport. The Embraer 175 has 20 seats in Business Class, 8 in Economy Comfort and 60 in Economy Class.

The flight schedule is as follows:

- KL1085 departs from Amsterdam daily at 12.05 and arrives in Cork at 12.55.

- KL 1086 departs from Cork daily at 13.25 and arrives in Amsterdam at 16.10.

All times are local.

The buses are clearly recognizable by the familiar KLM colors. Boarding points are centrally located at the station; arrivals at Schiphol Airport are opposite Departure Hall 2. All daily services are operated by KLM's transport partner Munckhof. KLM has been working with Munckhof for the transport of passengers to and from Schiphol since September 2018. This cooperation makes it possible for passengers to book a ticket from Enschede to Tokyo, for example.

A safe and healthy journey together

The safety of our passengers and crew is always our top priority. That is why we have taken all necessary measures for the KLM Bus in accordance with WHO guidelines. In doing so, we follow the COVID19 protocol for coach transport.

Sustainable and comfortable

The KLM Bus is free of charge and runs on advanced sustainable fuel from GoodFuels. This fuel is made from 100% certified waste or residual streams, which means it does not interfere with food production or land use and it does not cause deforestation.

With the climate-neutral KLM Bus, passengers save costs for a train ticket or fuel for their car, as well as the additional costs of parking at the airport. Passengers can make use of free WiFi on the bus. Coffee, tea, water and the KLM magazine Holland Herald complete the trip. If the bus is delayed along the way, causing passengers to miss their connection at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, KLM will rebook the passengers free of charge.

More information about the KLM Bus can be found here. Specific information about the protocol for coach transport can be found here.

The recovery has therefore started cautiously, but the level of 2019 is far from being approached. In the months of July and August last year, KLM operated a total of some 22,000 flights. Moreover, the occupancy rate lags behind the record year of 2019.

Number of destinations: as much choice as possible for the customer

The number of destinations shows a slightly different picture. KLM has opted to restart as many destinations as possible first in order to offer customers a wide choice and then to increase frequencies and capacity.

This means that in July around 80 percent of the normal number of European destinations and around 75 percent of intercontinental destinations will be offered. In August this will be around 95 percent and 80 percent respectively.

It should be noted that, here too, about half of intercontinental flights currently only carry cargo and therefore no passengers. When international travel restrictions are relaxed, KLM will of course start carrying passengers to these destinations again.

If a country bans passengers from entry, but flights are allowed, KLM will operate as much as possible to allow passengers who are in that country to return home.

Passengers are strongly advised to inform themselves about the restrictions applicable to their journey. On the KLM flight update page and in the IATA Travel Centre more information is available.

Due to the sheer volume of rebookings KLM staff is extremely busy. Therefore it can take some time before KLM will be able to reach out to customers to find a solution for their situation. If your flight is not scheduled in the coming days, please return to our site at a later time.

Answers to frequently asked questions by passengers about coronavirus, rebooking, et cetera please can be found at updates.klm.com

KLM will operate its flights to Las Vegas on Thursdays and Sundays. The flights, using a Boeing 787-9, offer thirty seats in World Business Class, forty-five seats in Economy Comfort Class, and 219 seats in Economy Class. In July, we will add a third weekly flight on Tuesdays.

The flight schedule is as follows:

• KL0635 departs from Amsterdam Schiphol at 12:35 and arrives at Las Vegas McCarran International at 14:15 local time.
• KL0636 departs from Las Vegas at 16:05 local time and arrives the next day at 11:05 Amsterdam-Schiphol.

Destination Las Vegas

Las Vegas is a city in the state of Nevada, in the southwestern United States. It is located 380 kilometres east of Los Angeles and attracts millions of visitors every year. It is located in the middle of the desert and, as a gambling and entertainment paradise, has provided the backdrop for numerous Hollywood movies. Luxurious hotels, endless casinos, and performances by big stars – that’s Las Vegas in a nutshell.

In addition to all the entertainment it offers, Las Vegas is also an ideal destination for nature lovers and hikers. It is an excellent starting point for a visit to the beautiful national parks in the area, such as Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon. The large number of conferences in Las Vegas also makes it an important destination for business travellers.

China Eastern will, in turn, offer code-sharing services to 24 new European destinations via the KLM network through Amsterdam, connecting with China Eastern flights between Shanghai and Amsterdam. China Eastern will offer 39 destinations in Europe, including Turin, Warsaw and Basel. The KLM flights between Amsterdam and Shanghai have been part of the joint venture between Air France, KLM and China Eastern since the end of 2018.

The new KLM flights will expand KLM’s network in India, where the cities of Delhi and Mumbai are already served. The thrice-weekly connection with Bangalore will open up even more opportunities for travel between Amsterdam and India. In so doing, KLM will be offering additional connections between the United States and India via its Amsterdam hub.

Until recently, KLM cooperated intensively with its partner Jet Airways on routes to and from India. Unfortunately, Jet Airways had to suspend all its flights for an indefinite period with effect from April 2019. Consequently, KLM decided to raise capacity to India in order to offer our customers alternatives, while continuing to cater to market demand.

Effective 28 October 2019, KLM will offer flights between Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Bangalore on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The flights will be operated using Boeing 787-9 equipment, offering 30 seats in World Business Class, 45 in Economy Comfort Class and 219 in Class. The flight schedule will be as follows:

• Flight KL0879 departs from Schiphol at 11:05 hours and arrives at 00:50+1 hours local time in Bangalore at Kempegowda International Airport.

• Flight KL0880 departs from Bangalore at 02:45 hours local time and arrives the following day at 08:25 hours at Schiphol.

Destination Bangalore

Bangalore (officially known as Bengaluru) is home to over 10 million inhabitants, making it the third largest city in India after Delhi and Mumbai. The city lies in the south of India and is the capital of the state of Karnataka. Bangalore is the fourth largest technology cluster in the world and is widely known as the “Silicon Valley” of India. Apart from being an attractive business destination because of this, Bangalore also serves as a perfect gateway for travelling through the south of India. Numerous tourist destinations – including well-known nature reserves, the beaches of Goa and the backwaters of Kerala – can be reached easily from Bangalore.

Provisional closure of Colombo, Sri Lanka

In order to open up Bangalore as a new destination, a number of changes must be made to the KLM network. Partly because of slot restrictions at Schiphol, KLM has no choice but to revise its portfolio of destinations sooner than usual.

For this reason, KLM will provisionally suspend its direct connection to Colombo, Sri Lanka with effect from the end of October. Recent developments and economic prospects on the island of Sri Lanka have brought commercial pressure to bear upon the flights to Colombo.

KLM has been flying to Colombo two to three times a week alternately during the winter season since October 2016. Passengers with tickets for flights from Amsterdam to Colombo and vice versa departing on or after 28 October 2019 will either be rebooked on the most suitable alternative flights or they will be compensated financially.