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The history behind the legendary blue jets – KLM

It’s most probable that all worldwide aviation enthusiasts have heard, or famously know about KLM (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij, or if you prefer: Royal Dutch Airlines) the blue jets are easily recognised by most people. People who sometimes aren’t even concerned of any aircraft flying overhead, yet they are still able to distinguish blue KLM jets from all the other “usual” aircraft wizing around the sky. But in reality have you ever reflected on the past history of the oldest international airline in the world? It all began in 1919, when an airline was founded in the Netherlands – KLM. The airline’s inaugural flight was the link between Amsterdam-London, first flown by KLM in 1920. During that first year the airline had carried 345 passengers and 25,000kg (55,000lbs) of mail and cargo, which is worth a laugh compared to our current transportation figures. By 1924, the first KLM flight took off for Indonesia, at that time still called- Dutch East Indies. Usually taking weeks to reach its destination. Today, the same journey takes around 15 hours. In the early 1930’s KLM had acquired their first Fokker F.20, which had a top speed of around 200 kilometers per hour. Throughout WWII, KLM was obliged to cancel all flight operations from their main hub- Schiphol, but still maintained flights from England. In 1946, KLM was the first airline to launch an air service across the Atlantic Ocean, from Amsterdam to New York, a true impact on air travel at that time. In March 1906, KLM introduced the first jet aircraft into their fleet: the Douglas DC-8. These were obviously larger, faster, and more reliable. From there KLM invested on an on-growing future, when the first 747 joined the airline’s fleet in February 1971, beginning the era of widebody jets. Later, in 1989, KLM acquired 20% of Northwest Airlines forming alliance between the two airlines. In my opinion KLM will continue to vastly expand in the aviation industry proving to be one of the world’s leading airlines. Airline Information: Fleet size: 190 Destinations: 250 President: L. M. van Wijk IATA: KL Biggest aircraft amount: 25 – Boeing 747-400 Written by: Lucca Messer (Airfly)

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Pilot
Written by Guest on 2008-06-27 17:06:35

Jacob Louis Veldhuyzen van Zanten, former Chief Pilot for KLM who appeared in many of their advertisements, is curiously missing from this article. He is the pilot who chose to takeoff without proper clearance at Tenerife, Canary Islands, on March 27, 1977, causing the deaths of 583 people, and the deadliest aviation disaster in history.

Written by Guest on 2008-01-17 11:39:13

Written by Guest on 2007-12-23 23:50:41

KLM was REALLY ahead of its time with a Douglas DC-8 flight across the Atlantic in March 1906. A jet too, and in 1906. :grin

tony
Written by Guest on 2007-11-05 09:53:37

Sir,

Your story is frought with inaccuricies.

One thing is correct "Dutch East Indies" the company that started the Slave Trade across the Atlantic. But then again, Europeans love to hide their dirty little historical facts.

Cheers!

nice writing
Written by Guest on 2007-11-05 09:52:13

Mr. Douglas Nelson
Written by Guest on 2007-05-18 10:02:43

KlMs alliance with NWA has paid off in huge dividends with each carrier feeding into each others hubs. Imagine today 5 daily jumbo jet flights between Detriot and Amsterdam because of the alliance. 15 years ago one flight per day could not have been filled. The merger of KLM and Air France has also proved enormously successful making large profits when other carriers struggle to atay afloat or go out of business.

Written by Guest on 2007-03-27 06:54:56

Mr. J. DerMinassian
Written by Guest on 2007-03-03 06:40:39

I belive KLM has been partly bought the French airline, Air France, perhaps in the early 2000 ?

Written by Guest on 2007-01-04 07:14:23

1906 DC-8? :grin

Colonel, USAF
Written by Guest on 2006-12-02 16:30:00

You say KLM introduced its first jet into its fleet in 1906. If the Wright Brothers had had one of those jet engines for their first flight in 1903, they probably could have flown a distance of more than 120 feet.

Written by Guest on 2006-12-02 09:37:58

Such a shame that the once mighty "Blue Tails" have had such a rich history tainted with the obviously pratical merger into the Air France end of the business. The Blue Tail entity has finally been tarnished.

Written by Guest on 2006-11-24 14:27:50

Written by Guest on 2006-10-31 06:07:20

Written by Guest on 2006-10-23 17:58:32

Written by Guest on 2006-10-12 23:52:38

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