| KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - Royal
Dutch Airlines, more commonly known as KLM or Koninklijke Luchtvaart
Maatschappij literally translates to Royal Aviation Society. Founded in
1919, KLM is the oldest carrier in the entire world still flying under their
inception name and right from the beginning, Queen Wilhelmina bestowed upon
the airline the epithet “Royal”.
From modest beginnings, KLM, a member of SkyTeam, saw its first inaugural
flight in 1920 piloted by Jerry Shaw, in a De Havilland DH-16, carrying only
two English Journalists, and a lot more newspapers, from Amsterdam to
London.
KLM has come a long way since then, with a fleet size now of 190 planes,
servicing a network of 250 destinations, partly due to a 2004 a strategic
partnership with Air France, which saw its reach spread even further. KLM
has the largest combi fleet in the world and three freighter aircraft.
An economic entity in its own right, it now holds a number of
subsidiaries such as KLM UK/Cityhopper, KLM Cargo, KLM Asia, KLM Flight
Academy, transavia.com, a 50% share in Martinair and a 26% share in Kenya
Airways.
KLM flies with two class differentiations, Business and Economy. Business
long-haul is called World Business Class, which feature seats ranging from
135-degree inclines on a Boeing 767, to 170-degree incline sleeper seats on
Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 services. A wide range of entertainment is
available throughout the World Business Class cabin, with newer planes
offering massage chairs, laptop power, telephones, and email and SMS
capabilities.
The food on KLM World Business Class is worth a mention, with menus
designed in conjunction with the Jeunes Restaurateurs d'Europe and offering
flyers a full three-course meal alongside a selection of wines by sommelier
Hubrecht Duijker. Snacks and drinks are available throughout the whole
flight.
KLM Economy Class offers long-haul passengers at least a 31" seat pitch,
with the new Airbus A330 offering a 32" seat pitch. KLM aims to keep
everyone entertained with Economy Class in the newer models including
personal interactive video screens with music, video and gaming
capabilities. Individual telephones with email and text message
capabilities, like those in Business Class, are available too.
KLM has also shown an acknowledgement of the necessity of aviation
companies to have a social presence, in 1999 it was the first airline in the
world to receive ISO 14001 certification for the Environmental Care System.
KLM AirCares program also sponsors four different children’s charities, and
is a supporter of the Doctor 2 Doctor program. |