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are celebrated 100 years of KLM, being this the oldest airline in the world in operation since the 7 October 1919, we review its history here.
Source of all images: www.klm.com.
The oldest airline and that has not changed its name since its foundation, being also one of the most important and recognized in the world is celebrating its anniversary.
We review its most outstanding milestones in a history full of innovation and success.
KLM's history
On 1919, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines was founded. KLM is, Thus, the oldest airline in the world still operating under its original name, That is why its anniversary has an importance that stands out in the industry.
Several airlines flew before KLM, but they disappeared into history, some of them are:
- DELAG – 16 November 1909
- Aero Rt. – 22 from December to 1910
- St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line – 1913
- Aircraft Transport and Travel – 5 October 1916
- Chalk’s Ocean Airways – 1917
- Det Danske Luftfartselskab – 29 October 1918
- Swedish Air Traffic – 7 February 1919
- SNETA – 31 march 1919
- CCNA – Colombian Air Navigation Company – 26 September 1919
The 7 October 1919 se crea «Royal Dutch Airlines para los Países Bajos y las Colonias» como se llamaba entonces. The founders were a group of investors who asked Albert Plesman to take over the day-to-day oversight of the business.. Plesman would later be appointed Director of KLM.
The first KLM flight took place on 17 May 1920. Pilot Jerry Shaw flies the DeHavilland DH-16 leased from London to Schiphol. On board are two journalists, a letter from the Mayor of London to his counterpart in Amsterdam and a stack of newspapers.
On 1935 KLM introduces the concept of cabin crew on board. The first cabin crew were all men, los «Mayordomos»; soon after he followed a group of ladies, las «Azafatas». Cabin crew replaced engineers on board; Until that moment, along with his technical tasks, the attention of the passenger was the responsibility of the engineer. The most important task of the cabin crew was safety on board and that is still the case.
During September 1945, KLM resumes operations after the end of World War II. Initially only on domestic routes, but later, that same year, several European destinations added. The 28 of November, the route to Indonesia was reopened.
The 21 May 1946 KLM inició el servicio entre Amsterdam y Nueva York con «Rotterdam» un Douglas DC-4. Thus, KLM is the first airline to connect continental Europe with America..
El PH-DCA «Albert Plesman» aterriza en Schiphol, ushering in the era of the jet engine at KLM the 25 march 1960. The Douglas DC-8 aircraft had 4 Reaction engines, which made the flight time much shorter and reduced the number of stops required.
The addition of the first Boeing 747-306B Combi to the fleet on 16 October 1975 changed the way the airline operates flexibility when operating passengers and cargo.
KLM y Northwest Airlines presentan la «World Business Class», a new class aimed at the business traveler on intercontinental flights in March 1944. The WBC offers a level of comfort between Economy Class and Royal Class.
The 5 May 2004 the founding of AIR FRANCE-KLM is celebrated. On this day the merger of the two airlines becomes official in order to combine their strengths.
Airbus delivers the first A330 to KLM on 25 august 2005. This aircraft replaces the Boeing 767.
The first BioFuel flight to Paris. On 2007, together with several partners, KLM starts looking for alternatives to fossil fuel. Several alternatives are investigated., including biofuel made from algae, camelina (a plant), aceite de jathropa (a nut) and finally fat is used for frying.
KLM has been making continuous efforts to reduce its CO2 emissions through the renewal of its fleet, promoting the manufacture and use of biofuels, making better use of the airspace and optimizing its air operations (for instance, by reducing the weight on board).
On 2018 KLM achieved very important goals in terms of sustainability: made 360 biofuel flights; celebrated 10 years of its CO2 ZERO compensation program through which more than 90.000 passengers have compensated 40.000 tons of CO2; planted 339.000 trees and contributed to reforest 308 hectares of rainforest.
For this one 2019, and when celebrated 100 years, KLM seeks to continue changing the industry to offer a better service at a lower economic and environmental cost. This is how the Flyin-V project was born, which seeks to be a passenger and cargo aircraft that consumes a 20% less fuel than the Airbus A350, this being the lowest in consumption today, with the same capacity and space required at airports.
Key moments in KLM history
- 7 October 1919, foundation of KLM Royal Dutch Aviation Company by Albert Plesman who had a dream of connecting the Netherlands with the world and the world with the Netherlands.
- 17 May 1920: KLM's first commercial flight between Croydon Airport, in London, and Amsterdam.
- 1924, KLM's first intercontinental flight to Batavia.
- 1933, KLM's first transatlantic flight to Curaçao.
- 1946, first transatlantic flight to New York.
- 1960, arrival of the jet to the KLM fleet and first direct flight from Amsterdam to New York in a Douglas DC-8.
- The arrival of the jet allowed air flights to go from being a privilege for a few to a happy reality for many..
- 1971 arrival of the boeing 747 to the KLM fleet and with it, start of loading activity.
- 2004 creation of the airline group Air France KLM, first air group in Europe.
A) Yes, The oldest airline in the world continues to be a pioneer in the world and hopes to continue flying very high for 100 More years.
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Congratulations KLM for your 100 years flying through the skies of the world