KLM’s Summer Schedule 2011

Air France KLM Group's 2011 summer schedule will see 5.7% growth in capacity in ASK compared with summer 2010.

This progression is divided between a +6.5% capacity increase in long-haul activity, and a +2.9% growth on medium-haul routes.  New destinations will complete the group's network: Xiamen, Miami and Aalborg for KLM, Orlando, Lima, Phnom Penh, Freetown, Monrovia, Bata, Tripoli and Billund for Air France.

Following the global trend of economic recovery as well as an industry wide expected increase of air travel, KLM production will grow 5% during summer 2011 in terms of available seat kilometers compared to summer 2010. This growth is build up through a 4.8% increase on the long-haul network and a 5.6% increase on the medium-haul network.

To facilitate this growth KLM adjusts its wave structure by re-introducing the seventh wave of intercontinental flights on its Amsterdam hub as well as re-timing the seven waves. This improved wave structure - dubbed "Seven Wave New Balance" - provides several advantages for KLM and its customers: Improved connectivity offers KLM's customers more flexibility and a more even distribution of flights over the day enables KLM to increase utilization of all its available assets.

The European Network

To expand the portfolio, KLM starts a double daily operation to Aalborg, Denmark. Aalborg is the third destination served by KLM in Denmark. Furthermore KLM increases its European portfolio through more extensive cooperation with partner airlines. Florence will be operated by Joint Venture partner Alitalia, and Riga by partner airline Air Baltic. Both destinations will have a KLM marketing code which allows passengers to connect seamlessly to the rest of the KLM network. The successful three daily startup of the Amsterdam - Budapest operation in winter 2010-2011 and the cooperation with Estonian Air to Vilnius and Tallinn will be continued during the summer.

KLM will reinforce its market position within Europe by introducing 22 new daily flights, which is an increase of 13% in flights and represents a total of 700,000 extra seats for the summer. The additional flights are operated on markets with a large potential of transfer passengers like Madrid, Barcelona, Geneva, Zurich, Munich and Berlin and on strategically important markets in The United Kingdom and Scandinavia. Next to this, to follow the economic growth in Eastern Europe, the number of seats that KLM flies to Eastern Europe increases strongly through deployment of larger aircraft.

On medium haul flights, KLM will introduce a new European Business Class product to better serve its premium passengers. This new European Business Class product is offered on all 500 European flights operated daily by KLM and KLM cityhopper to more than 60 destinations.

North Atlantic and Joint Venture Partner Delta

KLM will launch a 4 weekly operation to Miami offering KLM's customers direct access to Florida. The Miami market is one of the highest volume point-to-point markets to and from the Netherlands and is therefore a promising market not only for its leisure oriented passengers, but also for its importance as one of the larger financial hubs in North America.

KLM will increase the Toronto frequency from ten to thirteen flights a week, therefore bringing it to an almost double daily product. The newly introduced early morning Amsterdam departure will create excellent connectivity to flights arriving from the Middle East and Africa.

Responding to very high load factors during the peak season on Calgary, KLM will increase its capacity to its fourth Canadian gateway through introduction of a McDonnell Douglas MD11 instead of an Airbus 330-200 from June until September.

On Amsterdam - Atlanta KLM will increase capacity through introduction of the Boeing 777-200 instead of the Airbus 330-200. At the same time Delta will introduce the Airbus 330-300 also replacing the Airbus 330-200. Delta will operate an early morning arrival and departure in Amsterdam with Boeing 767-300 aircraft. Consequently, KLM and Delta together will offer a three daily service on the route Amsterdam- Atlanta, creating good coverage during the day on this hub-to-hub route.

Delta will operate its second time channel on Amsterdam - Boston during the whole summer season, instead of only during the peak in previous summer season. The daily product by Delta on Amsterdam - Portland will be extended to the full summer season as well. On Seattle - Amsterdam the ten frequencies a week will be increased to fourteen, creating a double daily product.

Far East and Middle East

KLM continues to invest in strategic growth markets in the Far East and Middle East.

Per start of the coming summer season three weekly operations will be commenced to Xiamen in Boeing 777-200 aircraft. After the startup of Hangzhou during previous summer, this will be the fifth Chinese destination in KLM's operational portfolio.

Capacity to Chengdu will be increased year over year through deployment of a Boeing 747-400 passenger-cargo combi aircraft instead of Airbus 330-200, while maintaining the four weekly frequencies.

Osaka capacity will increase through deployment of Boeing 777-300 aircraft initially twice and as of August three times per week. The fifth weekly frequency to Almaty will be reinstated, bringing the total back to the pre-crisis level.

In terms of partnerships KLM will intensify its cooperation with Malaysian Airlines on the Amsterdam - Kuala Lumpur route. Also the partnership with China Southern Airlines will be enhanced through introduction of KLM marketing codes on additional secondary destinations in China.

 Africa and Central / South America

The successful startup during current winter season of the tail-end operation Amsterdam - Entebbe/Kigali will be continued into summer 2011 with addition of the sixth frequency. An additional frequency will also be added to Tripoli, bringing the total to seven frequencies. To Capetown frequencies will be increased from five to seven. For Lagos, Accra as well as Johannesburg the daily Boeing 777-200 product will be maintained.

KLM continues to offer its customers a large number of secondary points in Africa through the successful cooperation with joint venture partner Kenya Airways between Amsterdam and Nairobi.

On São Paulo KLM will increase its capacity by deploying Boeing 777-300 aircraft instead of Boeing 777-200. Additional capacity on Panama will be created by adding the sixth weekly frequency, which will further enhance the successful cooperation with COPA airlines.

Fleet Renewal

KLM continues to renew its fleet. A Boeing 777-300 has been added to the long haul wide body fleet, bringing the total to five. In the medium haul narrow body fleet eleven present generation Boeing 737's aircraft will be replaced by eleven next generation Boeing 737's aircraft.

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