KLM to launch flights to Chengdu in China with 2006 Summer Schedule

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will be introducing Chengdu (China) and Billund (Denmark) as new destinations in its 2006 summer schedule. In Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa, the new schedule will feature many more frequencies on existing routes and better flight connections via Schiphol for passengers traveling with KLM and its partner airlines.

Compared to the 2005 summer schedule, KLM’s passenger and cargo capacity will increase by 5.5% and 2.8% respectively.

The 2006 summer schedule starts on Sunday, March 26, and ends on Saturday, October 28.

Europe

As a result of adjustments to connecting flights arriving and departing from Schiphol operated by KLM and its partners, approximately 25 extra frequencies will be added for European destinations. Customers will therefore be able to choose from more flights departing from, arriving at or operated via Schiphol.

Frequency on the London Heathrow route will be raised from 9 to 10 return flights daily. From the start of the summer schedule, a sixth daily frequency will be operated to Düsseldorf, Geneva, Copenhagen, Milan, Munich, Oslo, Stockholm and Zurich. The frequency of daily return flights to Frankfurt, Glasgow and Gothenburg will be raised from four to five; Aberdeen, Nice and Nuremberg from three to four; Athens and Istanbul from two to three; and Kristiansand from one to two.

Weekly return flight frequency to Kiev will also be raised from 7 to 11 at the end of May.

Effective March 26, 2006, the new Billund destination will be served thrice daily using Fokker 70 equipment operated by KLM cityhopper.

Connections between Schiphol and the French cities of Lyon, Nice, Toulouse, Marseille and Bordeaux will be operated entirely by KLM.

North America

KLM and Northwest Airlines will significantly increase the number of joint-venture services between Europe and North America in the forthcoming summer schedule.

The number of flights operated by KLM between Amsterdam and New York John F. Kennedy will increase from 11 to 14 weekly roundtrips this summer. Weekly flight frequency to Newark will increase from 7 to 10 and will be operated using Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 equipment.

The number of weekly flights to Vancouver will increase from five to seven. These daily roundtrips will be operated using MD-11 and A330 aircraft.

The all-business-class service between Amsterdam and Houston, operated since October 30, 2005 in supplement to the daily KLM Boeing 747 service six times weekly using a PrivatAir Boeing 737 business jet, will be continued in the summer schedule.

South/Central America

The number of flights to and from Bonaire will increase from 11 to 12 at the start of summer.

In addition to the five weekly flights, a sixth frequency will be added for Aruba during the vacation months of July and August. This flight will return via Curaçao. The number of weekly flights to and from St. Maarten will decrease from three to two during the summer schedule.

Africa and the Middle East

KLM’s flight frequency to Addis Ababa and Khartoum will increase from two to three return flights a week. In summer, the Boeing 767 operated on this route will be replaced by Airbus A330 equipment.

Effective May 28, the number of KLM flights between Amsterdam and Dubai will increase from 12 to 14, offering passengers optimal connections with flights operated via the Schiphol hub twice daily.

The frequency of services initiated this winter between Amsterdam and Entebbe in Uganda, will increase from three to four flights a week this summer.

Asia

KLM will begin operating services between Amsterdam and Chengdu in the rapidly expanding Chinese market with effect from May 28. These return flights will be operated twice weekly in codeshare with partner airline China Southern Airlines using Boeing 777 equipment.

A Boeing 747 Combi aircraft will be deployed permanently on services to Shanghai from the start of the summer schedule.

Osaka will be served using Boeing 777 equipment throughout summer 2006.

KLM Cargo

KLM Cargo has acquired rights to raise its freighter frequency to Osaka by one flight. From the start of the summer schedule, this fourth weekly KLM Cargo Boeing 747-400 ERF service to the Japanese city of Osaka will stop over in Almaty.

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