Xiamen Airlines is KLM E&M’s launching customer for this engine type and the agreement extends the close partnership that already exists between KLM and Xiamen Airlines. The ten-year contract, valued at no less than USD 125 million, was signed in a KLM hangar at Schiphol East today by Ton Dortmans, Executive Vice President E&M KLM, and Cai Chengbao, Executive Vice President Xiamen Airlines. Also present were Xiamen Airlines Chairman & CEO, Che Shanglun, and KLM president & CEO Pieter Elbers.

Xiamen Airlines and KLM will also intensify their partnership by extending code-sharing to more flights across their respective networks, giving their customers a broader and better range of options for travel beyond their hubs in Xiamen and Amsterdam. Xiamen Airlines launched direct service between Xiamen and Amsterdam in summer 2015, supplementing the service KLM has operated between Amsterdam and Xiamen since 2011. Together, KLM and Xiamen Airlines operate six weekly code-share services between their respective hubs.

Xiamen Airlines and KLM also pledged to make use of each other’s catering services, to explore opportunities for staff exchange with a view to mutual learning, and to make their cooperation more effective.

KLM’s strategy is to further develop Amsterdam as a gateway between Europa and China, together with Chinese partners like Xiamen Airlines. KLM and its Chinese partners annually carry more than a million passengers between Amsterdam and eight destinations in Greater China, offering codeshare services to 30 destinations beyond these cities.

Xiamen Airlines has been profitable for 28 consecutive years, which is a unique record. Similar to KLM, both are members of SkyTeam. The Xiamen Airlines flights will operate in code share with KLM.

Years of cooperation KLM and China

KLM and China Southern Airlines have worked together on the Amsterdam-Beijing route since 1996. Their cooperation has since steadily evolved into a strategic partnership. Now KLM serves routes between Amsterdam and mainland China (Chengdu, Hangzhou, Xiamen and together with China Southern Airlines Guangzhou) with a codeshare agreement in 2001 and a Joint Venture Agreement in 2006. KLM is proud of its partnership with China Southern Airlines, which makes Amsterdam an important gateway to China from Europe and for Chinese passengers visiting Europe and the rest of the world.

KLM and China Southern Airlines together offer eight non-stop services between Amsterdam and destinations in Greater China, with 57 frequencies a week, and per 26 July 2015 with the addition of Xiamen Airlines 60 frequencies a week. Together Air France and KLM operate nine destinations in Greater-China with 88 frequencies weekly.

Code sharing

KLM and Xiamen Airlines are both members of SkyTeam. The Xiamen Airlines’ flights will be codeshare operated with KLM. KLM and Xiamen Airlines currently have a one-sided codeshare agreement to six destinations in China. Due to the increase in the number of flights between Amsterdam and Xiamen, KLM and Xiamen Airlines will expand their codeshare partnership in China and Europe to 15 destinations. The airlines will also codeshare on the Amsterdam-Xiamen route.

About Xiamen Airlines

Xiamen Airlines is established on 25 July, 1984 and owned by China Southern Airlines (51%), Xiamen Construction and Development Group (34%), and Jizhong Energy Group (15%). Headquartered in Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN), Xiamen Airlines also operates another six bases in Beijing, Fuzhou, Hangzhou, ChangSha, Nanchang and Tianjin. Xiamen Airlines (IATA designator MF) is one of a few airlines operating an all Boeing fleet. Xiamen Airlines operates a total of 116 aircraft, including a mainline of ninety Boeing 737-800 and three brand new Boeing 787-8, with an average airplane service age of 5.3 years. With a network covering Greater China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia, Xiamen Airlines operates to 56 domestic destinations and 13 destinations in Asia Pacific.

Similar to KLM, both are members of SkyTeam. The Xiamen Airlines flights will operate in code share with KLM.

KLM and China

KLM offers 57 flights every week to Greater China together with its partner, China Southern Airlines. KLM is the single largest supplier of air travel to China from Europe with eight direct destinations: Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Hangzhou and Chengdu, and Taipei in Taiwan. The eighth Chinese destination is Guangzhou, which China Southern airlines will operate. Xiamen, Chengdu and Hangzhou are two unique KLM destinations in China. No other European airlines offers nonstop flights to Xiamen and Hangzhou.

KLM cooperates with five Chinese airlines: China Southern, China Eastern, Xiamen Airlines, Sichuan Airlines from mainland China, and China Airlines in Taiwan. China Southern airlines is China’s largest airline. In 2007, SkyTeam welcomed China Southern Airlines as its first Chinese carrier. KLM and China Southern Airlines have been working closely since November 2001.On 21 November 2012, Xiamen Airlines joined SkyTeam. The partners ensure that secondary airports which KLM does not serve are easily accessible by offering short connection times. Every year, KLM transports a million passengers to and from China.

Xiamen Airlines’ fast expanding international network includes Southeast and Northeast Asia and the airline has announced plans to launch flights to Europe, North America and Australasia by 2014 after the introduction of Boeing 787. SkyTeam membership offers Xiamen Airlines’ customers greater connectivity onto international routes from China operated by other alliance members. This includes carriers from the region: China Airlines, China Eastern and China Southern, and eight additional SkyTeam airlines: Aeroméxico, Aeroflot, Air France, Alitalia, Delta, Kenya Airways, KLM, Korean Air and Vietnam Airlines. 

In keeping with SkyTeam’s focus on enriching the customer experience, Xiamen Airlines has also started rolling out SkyPriority, SkyTeam priority airport services for SkyTeam Elite Plus, First and Business Class passengers worldwide. Effective immediately, Xiamen Airlines’ customers will be able to earn and redeem miles on services operated by all SkyTeam member airlines. Members of other SkyTeam airlines’ frequent flyer programs can also earn and redeem miles when flying on Xiamen Airlines-operated flights.

SkyTeam passengers traveling to China will be able to fly on Xiamen Airlines flights as part of SkyTeam’s Go Round the World and Go Greater China Passes, giving them even more options to enjoy flexible, cost-effective travel globally and throughout the region.
For more information:

SkyTeam
Corporate Communications
T: +31 (0)20 333 3064
E: media@skyteam.com

This was announced today at a press conference in Xiamen, where Vice-Mayor Pan Shijian of Xiamen and Peter Hartman signed a cooperation agreement.

“China Southern Airlines is very pleased with this new flight of KLM and another milestone in the cooperation”, says Zhao Xiaosong, Senior Vice President International Affairs and Alliances of China Southern Airlines.
 
Xiamen is the second-largest city in the province of Fujian and has a population of 3 million inhabitants. Owing partly to its favourable geographical location, Xiamen is undergoing rapid economic growth, attracting large international corporations. The city is also a tourist destination with interesting cultural and historical highlights.

The new service will be operated three times a week. Flight KL883 will depart from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, returning from Xiamen the following day. The return flight, KL884, will depart from Xiamen International Airport on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, arriving in Amsterdam on the same day. Flights will be operated with Boeing 777-200ER equipment, which can seat up to 318 passengers: 35 in World Business Class and 283 in Economy Class.

KLM’s SkyTeam partner China Southern Airlines offers connecting flights to and from Xiamen from a host of destinations in China.