KLM is one of the first European carriers. Over the entire period of its activity, it proved to be a reliable company and thereby earned the respect of passengers.
History
KLM Airlines is a national carrier from the Netherlands. The airline was founded by the Dutch pilot A. Plezman in Amsterdam in 1919. It is noteworthy that the company throughout its existence has never changed its name. The constant base airport is Amsterdam Schiphol. The first flight was carried out on the route "London-Amsterdam" in May 1920. Flights of international importance began to operate only in 1924.
World War II pretty much damaged the company's fleet. After a long recovery period followed. In 1960, the airline acquired its first jet airliner, the Douglas DC8.
In May 2004, KLM merged with the French carrier AirFrance, but both airlines did not change their logos.
KLM Airlines is a member of SkyTeam international alliance. She has repeatedly received international awards for successful work. In the world reliability and safety rating compiled in 2013, it confidently takes 24th place.
Route network
Every day, KLM operates over 14,000 flights on 168 routes. The geography of flights covers almost the entire globe. Passengers can fly to 360 airports located in 130 states on 6 continents. Joining the International Aviation Alliance has increased the route network to 900 cities of the world. Due to this interaction, passengers can get to almost any city in the world.
Flights to Russia are made from Amsterdam to Moscow and St. Petersburg. Every day, 4 flights are carried out from Moscow - 2 of their own and 2 under the code-sharing agreement with Aeroflot. 9 flights depart from St. Petersburg weekly, including 2 code-sharing flights with Rossiya Airlines.
Air park
The average life of the carrier’s aircraft is 11 years. The company's fleet is one of the largest in the world - 205 units. It contains the following types of aircraft:
- "Boeing 747-400" - 27 boards;
- “Boeing 777-300” - 4 sides;
- “Boeing 777-200” - 20 boards;
- “Boeing 767-300” - 4 sides;
- “Boeing 737-900” - 5 boards;
- “Boeing 737-800” - 40 boards;
- “Boeing 737-700” - 16 boards;
- “Boeing 737-400” - 9 boards;
- “Boeing 737-300” - 7 boards;
- "Airbus A332" - 10 sides;
- "McDonnell Douglas MD11" - 17 boards;
- "Fokker-100" - 7 boards;
- "Fokker-70" - 26 boards;
- Embraer-190 - 13 aircraft.
KLM Board Boarding Rules
Since 2013, the company began to develop a new methodology for passenger boarding. It consists in the fact that first the seating of people sitting in the tail of the airliner is made. The last to board are those who sit by the corridor at the beginning of the cabin. The purpose of this method is to reduce aircraft preparation time and ensure comfort for airline customers.
The mechanism is as follows. In a clean area near the boarding gates, passengers are given numbers. When boarding is announced, passengers of certain numbers are called to the exit. At the same time, priority is also respected - passengers with children and physically challenged, as well as Sky Priority program participants, are called first.
However, in practice, this technique is ineffective. It leads to an accumulation of passengers in front of the aircraft, as those who enter first block the corridors. This often leads to discontent from passengers and unplanned delays in departure.
Now the new landing technology is applied only on flights from Amsterdam to Helsinki, Berlin, Budapest. In the future, it is planned to improve it and apply it on all flights.
KLM Airlines in Moscow: contact information
In the capital, the airline’s representative office is located at 1. Mytnaya Street, Moscow. You can buy a ticket and check the necessary information about flights at the ticket office located in Terminal E of Sheremetyevo Airport.
Phones for information - 258-36-00 and 937-38-34 (area code - 495).
Reviews
Based on the reviews of KLM passengers, the following conclusions can be drawn.
Among the benefits, passengers distinguish:
- the ability to check in for flights on the Internet;
- friendliness and friendliness of staff when serving on the ground and in flight;
- high-quality on-board food;
- low airfare;
- new aircraft;
- a large number of proposed areas;
- cleanliness in the cabin of airliners;
- the opportunity to purchase a comfortable seat on the plane.
There are also disadvantages:
- unplanned delays during flights with transfers;
- often problems with baggage claim;
- information about the rules of the company is not always brought to the attention of passengers;
- long lines when boarding an airplane;
- the staff does not speak Russian;
- penalties for late appearance at registration.
One of the oldest carriers on the European continent is KLM. Passenger reviews about the company’s work are both positive and negative. The airline is constantly working to improve the quality of passenger service, including applying new technologies for pre-flight service, and updating the fleet.
The carrier is one of the safest in the whole world. KLM is very popular among Russian travelers. This is evidenced by the fact that our passengers have repeatedly recognized the airline as one of the best foreign carriers operating in the Russian market. The priority of the carrier is safety, reliability and high-quality customer service.