Proud!

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 2019

    More SAF

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

  • 2004

    Air France KLM merger

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

  • 1991

    New airline

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 1966

    One way to Enschede

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

  • 1960

    At your destination in a flash

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

  • 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.

  • 1946

    New York, New York!

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

  • 1935

    Welcome aboard!

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 1924

    Animals in the air

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

  • 1921

    Schiphol by omnibus

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

  • 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.

  • 1919

    KLM is born

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

  • 1919

    Royal Blue

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