100 NOT OUT for KLM

IATA ICAO Callsign KL KLM KLM

KLM, my favorite airline of all time, is turning 100 yrs old today.


In 1919, a young aviator lieutenant named Albert Plesman sponsored the ELTA aviation exhibition in Amsterdam. The exhibition was a great success; after it closed several Dutch commercial interests intended to establish a Dutch airline, which Plesman was nominated to head. In September 1919, Queen Wilhelmina awarded the yet-to-be-founded KLM its "Royal" ("Koninklijke") predicate. On the 7th October 1919, eight Dutch businessmen, including Frits Fentener van Vlissingen, founded KLM as one of the first commercial airline companies. Plesman became its first administrator and director. KLM was founded on the 7th October 1919 it is the national airline of the Netherlands with its headquarters in Amstelveen and with its hub at nearby Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The name KLM is an abbreviation of its full legal name, Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (Royal Dutch Airlines). It is the oldest airline in the world still operating under its original name. The first KLM flight took place on the 17th May 1920. KLM's first pilot, Jerry Shaw, flew from Croydon Airport, London to Amsterdam. The flight was flown using a leased Aircraft Transport and Travel De Havilland DH-16, registration G-EALU, and was carrying two British journalists and a number of newspapers. In 1920, KLM carried 440 passengers and 22 tons of freight. In April 1921, after a winter hiatus, KLM resumed its services using its own pilots and aircraft: Fokker F.II and Fokker F.III. In 1921, KLM started scheduled services.  KLM's first intercontinental flight was initiated on the 1st of October 1924. On the 30th September 2003, Air France and KLM agreed to a merger plan in which Air France and KLM would become subsidiaries of a holding company called Air France–KLM. Both airlines would retain their own brands; both Charles de Gaulle Airport and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol would become key hubs. KLM is the core of the KLM Group, which includes the wholly-owned subsidiaries KLM Cityhopper, Transavia.com and Martinair. KLM's frequent flyer program is called "Flying Blue" and the airline slogan is "Journey's of Inspiration" On the 14th November 2015 KLM welcomed its first of 13 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner's. The first one is called “Anjer” (Carnation). All of KLM’s Dreamliner's are named after flowers. KLM is rated 18th best airline in the world (down from last years 19th) according to Skytrax.
KLM operates scheduled passenger and cargo services to 145 destinations with 123 aircraft

Current fleet

As of September 2019^[update], the KLM fleet (excluding its subsidiaries KLM Cityhopper, Transavia and Martinair) consists of the following aircraft:

KLM Fleet

Aircraft	In service	Orders	Passengers				Notes
			C	Y+	Y	Total
Airbus A330-200	8	—	18	36	214	268
Airbus A330-300	5	—	30	40	222	292
Boeing 737-700	18	—	20	6	106	132	To be retired in 2022. To be replaced by Boeing 737-800.
Boeing 737-800	30	1	20	6	150	176	Last delivery due in 2019.
Boeing 737-900	5	—	28	18	138	184	One in SkyTeam livery.
Boeing 747-400	3	—	35	36	337	408	All to be retired by 2021. To be replaced by Boeing 787 Dreamliner's.
Boeing 747-400M	7	—	35	36	197	268
Boeing 777-200ER	15	—	34	40	242	316
Boeing 777-300ER	14	2	34	40	334	408	One in OrangePride livery. One in SkyTeam livery.
Boeing 787-9	13	—	30	48	216	294
Boeing 787-10	1	14	38	36	270	344	Deliveries from 2019 to 2023. Previously-ordered 7 Airbus A350-900s have been swapped with Air France's ordered 6 Boeing 787s. 1 in the KLM 100 years livery.
KLM Cargo fleet
Boeing 747-400ERF	3	—	Cargo				Operated by Martinair.
Total	123	17

Fleet development

KLM's first of 8 Boeing 787-10 aircraft was delivered on the 28th June 2019, featuring 100th anniversary markings.

Happy Birthday and congratulations KLM