KLM to Launch Flights to Lusaka, Zambia

On 15 May 2012 KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will make its first flight to Lusaka, Zambia, the airline’s 72nd intercontinental destination.

KLM will serve Lusaka three times a week using an Airbus A330-200. The aircraft has space for 243 passengers, 30 in World Business Class and 213 in Economy Class.

Starting 15 May 2012, flight KL561 will depart from Schiphol on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 12:30, arriving in Lusaka the same day at 22:10.

 The return flight, KL562, will depart Lusaka at 23:55 on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights and arrive in Amsterdam at 09:55 the next morning.

Zambia is experiencing strong growth, thanks to its vigorous mining industry. Moreover, this new destination for KLM will create a direct link between Zambia’s flourishing flower industry and the Netherlands, which is the largest junction in the worldwide flower industry.

 Tourism in Zambia is centred around the city of Livingstone, located on the banks of the Zambezi river and close to the famed Victoria Falls.

Together with Kenya Airways, KLM offers another thirteen flights a week to Lusaka via Nairobi. Thanks to the partnership with Kenya Airways, KLM and Air France can offer an extensive network throughout Africa. The alliance flies to many destinations including Harare, Mombassa, Lilongwe, and Bujumbura.

KLM launches new route to Luanda in Angola

KLM expanded its African network on 14 November by launching two weekly flights to Luanda (LAD) from its Amsterdam (AMS) hub. KLM will be operating to the Angolan capital airport, which its sister airline Air France already also serves twice a week from Paris, with 318-seat 777-200ER aircraft. Air France and KLM will be serving a total of 45 destinations in Africa this winter.

KLM relaunches flights to Rio de Janeiro from Amsterdam

KLM relaunched flights to Rio de Janeiro (GIG) on 1 November. The airline now flies three times weekly – on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays – to the Brazilian city from its Amsterdam (AMS) hub, using 318-seat 777-200ER aircraft. KLM Dutch airline, which already serves São Paulo, previously operated the route to Rio between 1986 and 2000. KLM’s CEO Peter Hartman commented: “Latin America is an emerging market. By adding Rio de Janeiro as KLM’s 9th destination in Latin America, we intend to greatly strengthen our position in this rapidly expanding region. Because Brazil is experiencing such strong economic growth we see Rio’s inclusion in the KLM network as beneficial to our business passengers. Foreign investment in the region is increasing strongly, fuelled by the growing oil and gas industry.”

KLM to start Havana flights

Dutch flag carrier KLM will begin to offer three-times-a-week flights to Cuba starting Oct. 31, the Cuban tourism ministry announced.

The flights, on 285-seat MD11 aircraft, will connect Amsterdam and Havana on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The Havana flights are part of a “marked expansion” of the airline in the Caribbean, KLM President and CEO Peter Hartman said in a press release earlier this year. KLM’s target clientele will be not only Dutch tourists, but also travelers from other European countries, according to Hartman.

Dutch tourists aside, the KLM connection, according to the Cuban tourism ministry, is expected to bring in more visitors from Scandinavia, Germany and Eastern Europe.

KLM and WestJet will start operating code share flights

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and WestJet operated their first code share flights on September 26, 2011. The code share agreement between the two airlines will allow KLM to market and distribute WestJet operated flights under KLM flight numbers. This will enhance the travel possibilities for our customers, giving them access to 30 domestic Canadian routes.

KLM considers code sharing with WestJet as an important step in increasing the portfolio of flights and destinations it can offer via its four Canadian gateways. 

Pieter Elbers, Chief Operating Officer for KLM, commented: “We are proud to enter into a code share agreement with WestJet, becoming WestJet’s first European code share partner. Canada is a key market for KLM. With this new code share arrangement, KLM passengers will now have access to 30 new routes in Canada, connecting with KLM’s flights to Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Calgary.”

Gregg Saretsky, WestJet’s Chief Executive Officer commented: “WestJet is very pleased to have KLM as our first European code share partner. With an extensive global network and a long history of excellence, we foresee a strong cooperation between KLM and WestJet. We look forward to welcoming our joint guests aboard WestJet.”