KLM - A Dutch Airline Legacy
With Spirit Air closing down the in US recently, there's one fewer well known airline brand left. If you have been fortunate enough to travel to The Netherlands, chances are that you flew with KLM airlines. This airline has been around for over 100 years and in typical Dutch fashion, it is also an airline with many firsts to its name.
After receiving the “Royal” predicate from Queen Wilhelmina, Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschaapij vor Nederland en Kolonien (Royal Dutch Airlines for The Netherlands and Colonies) was founded in October 1919 by 8 investors. The first flight between London and Amsterdam - in a rented plane - took off on May 17, 1920, with 2 journalists on board. This marked the beginning of scheduled service between the two cities. In 1921 KLM bought its first Fokker aircraft, beginning a century-long relationship with the Dutch aircraft manufacturer. This was also the year the airline opened the world’s first booking office in Amsterdam and launched scheduled services. 1924 saw the first flight to The Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). It was also this year KLM transported a live bull to France, beginning specialized animal transport services.
The 1930s saw many advancements. Regularly scheduled flights to Indonesia opened a whole new Asian market. It was also the longest scheduled flight at the time. During this time KLM also acquired their first fully metal plane and welcomed the first cabin crew. Transatlantic flights to Curacao brought more opportunities for the Caribbean, and for Dutch tourists looking to escape the winter.
During World War II, much of KLM’s equipment was destroyed, but it didn’t take the Dutch long to get up and flying again after liberation. In 1946 KLM became the first airline to offer scheduled flights to New York, since airplanes could now travel longer distances. Service to Central and South America soon followed.
The 1950s saw the introduction of Economy Class, making air travel affordable for many more people. In 1959 KLM flew over 1 million passengers for the first time.
From 1960-1990 KLM continued to grow, introducing jets instead of propellor planes, which reduced flight times and allowed for expansion to more destinations. The new Schiphol Airport was also constructed allowing for more and larger aircraft, and quickly became the busiest airport in Europe. During these years KLM also formed alliances with other airlines which was very successful.
For many years since the 1990s, the current King of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander, even moonlighted as a KLM pilot without telling anyone!
KLM is now considered a premier global airline and is recognized as the world’s oldest airline still operating under the original name. The have received numerous awards for safety, passenger service and sustainability, and are a brand the Dutch are still proud of.
