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Proud!

KLM employees have been writing aviation history for more than 100 years by looking ahead. Time for a scroll down memory lane.

  • Flying-V
    2020

    Aircraft of the future

    KLM and TU Delft are working together on the aircraft of the future: the Flying-V. Milestone: successful test flight of a scale model.

  • KLM party
    2019

    100 years KLM

    Thanks to the contributions of so many people, KLM is able to celebrate it's 100th birthday on October 7th 2019.

  • Refuelling
    2019

    More SAF

    KLM adds a standard 0.5 percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to all flights departing from Amsterdam.

  • Merger with Air France
    2004

    Air France KLM merger

    Air France-KLM is founded during the airlines' merger.

  • Fokker 28
    1991

    New airline

    Creation of KLM Cityhopper, through a merger of NLM Cityhopper and NetherLines.

  • Female pilot
    1978

    First female pilot

    The first female pilot joins KLM: Marie-Louise Verkalk. She resigned after three years due to the pressure of the many interview requests.

  • Arrival of KLM's first B747
    1971

    The queen has arrived

    KLM receives its first Boeing 747. Several 'Queens of the Skies' will be part of the blue fleet for almost 5 decades.

  • NLM
    1966

    One way to Enschede

    The NLM (later KLM Cityhopper) is founded. It was originally intended for domestic flights.

  • KLM DC-8
    1960

    At your destination in a flash

    KLM introduced jet aircraft, drastically reducing travel times, flights no longer took days, but hours.

  • North pole
    1958

    From here to Tokyo

    KLM opens a new route from Amsterdam to Tokyo, flying over the North Pole. Onboard are specially trained personnel with equipment.

  • New York City
    1946

    New York, New York!

    KLM launches the Amsterdam-New York scheduled service. The first European airline to connect the European mainland to America.

  • Historical KLM
    1935

    Welcome aboard!

    The first cabin crew start work. Initially, these are only men ('stewards'), but soon afterwards the first stewardesses start.

  • DC-2 De Uiver
    1934

    First prize in the air race

    With the Douglas DC-2 ‘Uiver’, KLM takes 3 passengers and 191kilos of post to Australia in less than 4 days.

  • Map of the world
    1930

    Scheduled service to Batavia

    Start of the Amsterdam-Batavia scheduled service. Until World War II, this was the longest air connection in the world.

  • Bull Nico
    1924

    Animals in the air

    We transport breeding bull Nico V. This was the first of the many animal transports we undertake.

  • Passenger transfer office Leidseplein
    1921

    Schiphol by omnibus

    KLM opened the first passenger office on Amsterdam's Leidseplein. From here, passengers could travel to Schiphol by omnibus.

  • First flight KLM
    1920

    The first ever KLM flight

    Jerry Shaw pilots the first ever KLM flight, from London to Amsterdam. On board: two journalists, a letter, and a pack of newspapers.

  • Albert Plesman
    1919

    KLM is born

    The Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij voor Nederland en Koloniën (KLM) is founded. Albert Plesman takes the reins.

  • Dutch queen Wilhelmina
    1919

    Royal Blue

    Queen Wilhelmina gives us the designation 'royal' - even before we were officially founded.

Smooth forecasting thanks to the application of OneStream

Thanks in part to Arno and the introduction of OneStream, Finance processes run more smoothly than ever before.

KLM colleague looking outside

Great Job! Make a difference aboard with MyFlight

KLM has an app that gives crew the necessary information at hand before flight departure: MyFlight.

KLM professional

The crystal data ball of Sashiko and her colleagues

Predictive data helps with accurate inventory management of aircraft parts.

Woman looking at screen