Happy Birthday KLM

KLM B747-406 PH-BFH (CN 24518)

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 A330-303 PH-AKE (CN 1381)

KLM is the core of the KLM Group, which includes the wholly-owned subsidiaries KLM Cityhopper, Transavia.com and Martinair. In September 2010, KLM integrated the passenger division of Martinair into KLM, transferring all personnel and routes. By November 2011, Martinair consisted of only the cargo and maintenance division. 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. Before Covid KLM operated scheduled passenger and cargo services to 145 destinations with 123 aircraft

As of September 2021, the KLM fleet (excluding its subsidiaries KLM Cityhopper, Transavia and Martinair) consists of the following aircraft:

KLM fleet

Aircraft	In service	Orders	Passengers
			B	E+	E	Total
Airbus A330-200	6	—	18	36	214	268
Airbus A330-300	5	—	30	40	222	292
Boeing 737-700	12	—	20	6	106	132
Boeing 737-800	31	—	20	6	150	176
Boeing 737-900	5	—	28	18	138	184
Boeing 747-400	3	—	35	36	197	268
Boeing 777-200ER	15	—	34	40	242	316
Boeing 777-300ER	16	—	34	40	334	408
Boeing 787-9	13	—	30	48	216	294
Boeing 787-10	5	—	38	36	270	344
KLM Cargo fleet
Boeing 747-400ERF	4	—	Cargo
Total	115	12

Last year KLM announced they were going to bid farewell to their long-serving Boeing 747 fleet in late October 2020. Retirement was originally scheduled for mid 2021, on 747’s 50th anniversary with the airline. But the new coronavirus crisis forced the Dutch to rethink their plans and conduct final passenger flights in March 2020, officially phasing out the plane for the first time. In an unexpected twist of fate the Queen of the skies was recalled from its retirement in August to conduct air bridge operations between the Netherlands and China, carrying medical equipment and supplies.