“We have built up a robust transatlantic network thanks to our joint ventures with Air France and Delta Air Lines. We will continue to optimise this network. As part of this we launched services to Boston and Las Vegas in the summer and are now adding Austin to our North American destinations.”

Pieter Elbers – CEO & President KLM

KLM will operate flights between Schiphol and Austin from 4 May 2020 on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. These Airbus A330-300 flights offer 30 World Business Class seats, 40 Economy Comfort seats and 222 Economy class seats.

The flight schedule is as follows:

KL0667 departs Schiphol at 12:40 hours and arrives at 16:10 local time in Austin (Austin-Bergstrom International Airport).

KL0668 departs Austin at 18:00 hours local time and arrives at Schiphol the next day at 10:25 hours.

Austin

Austin is the state capital of Texas. The city was founded in 1835 under the name Waterloo and lies on the Colorado River. Austin is famous for being the “Live Music Capital of the World” and is also regarded as a centre for modern technologies because of the large number of tech companies based there. It has a lively city centre with numerous music venues, a thriving art scene, Formula 1 and it hosts the major festival South by Southwest. It is also home to several universities, including the main campus of the University of Texas.

KLM has regularly indicated that it is in favour of replacing short-haul flights with rail services, as long as trains fully match the speed, reliability and comfort that air travel offers passengers. The decision to reduce flight frequency from five to four flights a day on the Brussels-Schiphol route, in combination with the improved Air&Rail product aboard the Thalys, is a first step. KLM intends to gradually cut back the number of flights between Brussels and Schiphol. The Brussels-Schiphol route is used by passengers who catch connecting flights to intercontinental destinations at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.“

Intermodal transport involving trains and planes remains a complex and challenging business. Speed is key, not only in terms of the train itself, but also the transfer process at the airport. We aim to make maximum progress in both areas. Reducing our frequency from five to four flights a day is a good way of gaining more experience with Air&Rail services. -KLM President & CEO Pieter Elbers

“Fly Responsibly” and slot restrictions

This step is part of KLM’s commitment to “Fly Responsibly”, which aims to create a sustainable future for air transport, but it also reflects our commitment to the sector plan Smart and Sustainable. Next to that, KLM is faced with slot restrictions at Schiphol. By replacing short-haul flights with rail services, scarce slots can be used for services to long-haul destinations. Rail services will maintain feeder traffic to Schiphol, while network quality improves thanks to the more varied range of available destinations.

Improvement of the Air&Rail product

Air&Rail is easy to book via KLM.com and travel agents. To ensure smoother connections with KLM flights, Thalys, NS, KLM and Schiphol are seeking to improve baggage handling and other services, and there will be a special Air&Rail check-in desk at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

About “Fly Responsibly”

“Fly Responsibly” embodies KLM’s commitment to creating a sustainable future for air transport. It incorporates all of KLM’s current and future efforts to improve the sustainability of its activities. But true progress can only be achieved if the entire sector cooperates. With “Fly Responsibly”, KLM invites consumers to opt for CO2 compensation services, while companies are invited to compensate for business travel via the KLM Corporate BioFuel Programme.

Investing in CO2 reduction

The project combines reforestation activities with cocoa production and forms part of KLM’s CO2ZERO service. For the past ten years, this service has enabled passengers to compensate for their CO2 emissions by investing in a CO2 reduction project. In addition to CO2 storage, the CO₂OL Tropical Mix project also provides for the small-scale, sustainable production of cocoa and wood, creating more jobs for the local population.

UTZ-certified chocolate

The CO₂OL Tropical Mix farms in Bocas del Toro planted the cocoa trees in 2010. Now, almost ten years later, the cocoa fields of the project stretch out across the lower hills of the cocoa town in Panama. The chocolate derived from this project is UTZ certified, thanks to –among other things- sustainable management techniques, including planting shade trees and using multiple cacao species.

From Panama to Belgium to WBC

The chocolate company Barry Callebaut imports the cocoa from Bocas del Toro and turns it into different chocolate pastes in Belgium. The Dutch chocolatier Visser then heats, cools, shapes and packs the chocolate. The outcome: perfectly formed chocolate houses ready to be served on board KLM’s World Business Class from 26 August.

KLM is the first European airline to operate this more sustainable and economical aircraft. The Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner has the same efficient engines as the 787-9. The combination of these engines with the use of lighter materials in the 787-10 means it produces lower carbon emissions and less noise.

The 787-10’s design is highly sophisticated, with large windows and a spacious interior providing much more room and comfort.

This first KLM 787-10 Dreamliner will be deployed from 2 July on KLM services to Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam. KLM plans to have 15 Boeing 787-10s in its fleet by 2022.

Click here for more information about the KLM Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner.

KLM is believed to be the first airline in the world to invest in sustainable aviation fuel on this scale. SkyNRG, global market leader for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), will develop Europe’s first dedicated plant for the production of SAF in Delfzijl. The production facility will specialise in producing SAF, bioLPG and naphtha, primarily using regional waste and residue streams as feedstock. The plant will be the first of its kind in the world. The construction of this facility, which is scheduled to open in 2022, is a concrete step towards fulfilling KLM’s sustainability ambitions and contributing to the broader industry plan “Smart and Sustainable”. SHV Energy, global leader in LPG distribution, will also invest in the facility and will purchase the bioLPG produced.

Sustainable aviation fuel is a necessary short-term option the commercial aviation industry has, to reduce CO₂emissions in the short term, in addition to fleet renewal and operational efficiency gains. However, not enough sustainable kerosene is currently being produced. The new production plant is a SkyNRG project, called DSL-01, and will be dedicated to production of sustainable aviation fuel. From 2022, the plant will annually produce 100,000 tonnes of SAF, as well as 15,000 tonnes of bioLPG, as a by-product. It will mean a CO₂ reduction of 270,000 tonnes a year for the aviation industry. This is an important step for the industry to accommodate the need for carbon emission reduction on the one hand, and the increasing demand for sustainable aviation fuel on the other.

CO₂ reduction of 85%

The feedstocks used for production will be waste and residue streams, such as used cooking oil, coming predominantly from regional industries. The facility will run on sustainable hydrogen, which is produced using water and wind energy. Thanks to these choices, this sustainable aviation fuel delivers a CO₂ reduction of at least 85%, compared to fossil fuel. The use of SAF will also contribute to a significant decrease in ultra-fine particles and sulphur emissions. The construction of this facility is very much in line with KLM’s sustainability objectives and is an important step towards implementing the industry action plan “Smart & Sustainable”, which was drafted by twenty leading transport organisations and knowledge centres. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol will also be investing in the development of this facility.

Fuel meets the highest sustainability standards

SkyNRG’s independent Sustainability Board advises on whether the fuel meets the highest sustainability standards, thereby ensuring that the fuel (produced from waste streams) will not have a negative impact on the food supply and environment. There will be absolutely no use of food crops, such as soya oil and palm oil (or by-products such as PFAD and POME), for production. The board includes representatives from WWF International, the European Climate Foundation, Solidaridad Network and the University of Groningen. Furthermore, the sustainability of the chain and related products are ensured through certification by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), the highest possible certification standard for sustainable fuels.

Partners

In addition to KLM and SHV Energy, SkyNRG has joined hands with various other partners in the Netherlands and beyond, on the DSL-1 project: EIT Climate-KIC, Royal Schiphol Group, GROEIfonds, NV NOM, Groningen Seaports, Nouryon, Gasunie, Arcadis, TechnipFMC, Haldor Topsoe, Desmet Ballestra, Susteen Technologies, and MBP Solutions. These partners will be involved in various phases of the project.

Cities like Taipei, Edmonton and Stavanger will now be a click away using this interactive technology.

AR technology connects reality and the virtual world. In a virtual world, people on Facebook will be able to discover and explore KLM destinations before booking a ticket. Although the initial test phase will focus on destinations, products and services will also be offered in the future using AR technology.

By clicking on the AR ad, people will be able to use the Facebook camera to see themselves with a KLM suitcase on their way to the new destination. It will then be possible to enjoy a 360° view of what the destination has to offer within the ‘Try before you Fly’ AR environment! Over and above useful travel tips and interesting snippets of information, KLM hopes to add real-time ticket prices within this AR environment as part of the next step.

Facebook is currently testing AR ads in the Facebook newsfeed. The format appears as any other ads on Facebook but spring to life when people click on the “click to activate” button. KLM is among the first in the world to test the new AR ads functionality.

TRY OUT THE FIRST KLM FACEBOOK AR AD FOR TAIPEI HERE

The current joint operations on the 2 weekly Air Mauritius’ operated flights will continue throughout IATA Summer 2019 season ending on 26 October 2019. Passengers holding tickets beyond this date will be either rebooked to other flights or are eligible for a refund.

The long-established joint venture between Air France and Air Mauritius will not be affected by the suspension of the Amsterdam – Mauritius route, thus providing guests with the option to travel via Paris Charles de Gaulle airport to Mauritius where both carriers will continue their operations with up to twice daily flights between Paris and Mauritius.

KLM will commence service on October 29^th 2019 on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between Amsterdam-Schiphol, San José and Guanacaste-Liberia. The flights will be operated with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, with 30 seats in World Business Class, 45 seats in Economy Comfort and 219 seats in Economy Class.

• KL0717/KL0719 departs Amsterdam-Schiphol at 11:35, and arrives in San José (Costa Rica) at 17:15 Local time. From there, the flight departs at 19:15 towards Guanacaste Liberia, to arrive at 20:10.
• After a short 65 minute stop on ground, the flight continues under the same flight number directly to Amsterdam-Schiphol, with a departure out of Guanacaste Liberia at 21:15 Local time; to arrive at Amsterdam-Schiphol at 13:20 Local time the following day.

It is possible to arrive in San José, and depart from Liberia on the same ticket, making it an ideal combination for all travellers that want to discover the beautiful nature and pura vida of Costa Rica. Likewise, passengers originating in Costa Rica can start and end their journey in either San José or Guanacaste Liberia in both directions on the same ticket.

Using a live connection, customers could chat with a hologram of their counterparts, looking each other straight in the eye. There is no better way to get the best local travel tips. But even more interesting, there is no better way to share real cultural insights. With the help of the Take-Off Tips bar, customers can talk to each other at airports in Amsterdam, Oslo, and Rio de Janeiro – strangers who would otherwise never have met.

The hologram bar connected people in real time by projecting them into the airport on the other side of the world. To reach a wider audience with KLM’s Take-Off Tips bar, we filmed the conversations of travellers heading in opposite directions and created a short film of the warmest moments. We have now shared this film online.

Click here to view a video on the Hologram Bar.

The lounge features the latest technologies and innovations, along with top-notch service and catering provisions. Customers can already take advantage of this in a temporary setup. Refurbishment of the second part of the lounge continues until its festive opening in the European summer 2019, the year in which KLM will celebrate its 100th anniversary.

The international KLM Crown Lounge is located between the E and F Piers at Schiphol. The lounge caters to KLM’s most important customers travelling on intercontinental flights. The lounge is easy to find thanks to its new impressive entrance on the Holland Boulevard. Customers can access the lounge by escalator or elevator, are welcomed individually by personal lounge assistance and can gain easy access by scanning their boarding passes at the self-service devices. The lounge facilities are located on the second floor and on the completely rejuvenate third floor.

New service and catering concepts

Taken together, the new food & drink concepts, kitchen layout, logistics, digital innovations including self-service access and rejuvenated service provided by lounge staff all contribute towards an entirely personal experience. In so doing, KLM has created the lounge of the future.

New decor and fittings & fixtures catering to customer requirements

The new decor of the KLM non-Schengen Crown Lounge focuses on providing customers with a completely new experience. To this end, KLM has set up different zones to satisfy the diverse wishes and requirements of its customers: work, relaxation, food & drink, entertainment and fine dining. Capacity has also been expanded in order to accommodate anticipated growth in the number of (intercontinental) lounge visitors in the future. Once renovated completely, the lounge will offer around 1,500 seats in comparison with the previous 800 and will boast a surface area of 6,800 m2 compared to 3,600 m2 now.

The “Polder” zone opened today, with a temporary setup offering extra seats – and therefore greater capacity – until the renovation process concludes in summer 2019. As of today, customers can already enjoy the Dutch Mountain for entertainment, and the new Sky zone bar on the third floor.