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KLM (IATA code: KL) is an abbreviation of Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij, which translates to Royal Airplane Company. The Dutch Queen Wilhelmina gave the airline the “royal” part of its name in 1919. The airline, which is headquartered in Amstelveen, the Netherlands, is one of the first airlines in the world. During 97 years of its operation, KLM has made some innovations and achievements. One of its achievements is being listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) as the top sustainability-driven company in the world. Currently, KLM offers flights in three types of classes: Economy Class, Europe Business Class, and World Business Class, which is equivalent to first class. With more than 115 aircraft in its fleet, KLM flies to 145 destinations around the world. In line with its slogan, “Journeys of Inspiration,” KLM always strives to inspire its passengers through the services it provides. In the air, for example, KLM spoils passengers with a wide variety of meals, in-flight magazines and international newspapers, and sets of electronic entertainment to accompany them during their flight. Meanwhile, on ground, KLM offers all its passengers an opportunity to become members of Flying Blue — the airline’s frequent flyer program — and its business class passengers the SkyPriority privilege from SkyTeam. KLM passengers who prefer to check-in at the airport counter are advised to do so within two hours before their departure time. KLM also offers an online check-in facility, which is open from 30 hours to one hour before departure. For flights to the United States, however, online check-in is available from 24 hours before departure. Passengers are advised to find out the online check-in time for flights to Delhi, Paramaribo, Lagos, Europe, Osaka, Guayaquil, Mexico City and Moscow. KLM opens baggage check-in from three hours to 40 minutes before departure for flights within Europe and to 60 minutes before departure for international flights. Baggage check-in for flights to Accra, Nairobi, Lagos, Almaty, Astana, Amsterdam, Bonaire, Colombo, Guayaquil, Osaka, and Paramaribo, may close earlier. Passengers are advised to check the check-in regulations on the official KLM website or by contacting the airline’s customer service.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines was officially established on 7 October 1919. The airline performed its first flight in 1920 and flew its first intercontinental flight in 1924 from Amsterdam, the Netherlands to Batavia (now Jakarta), Indonesia. This route has become a regular route of airline since 1929. Then, in 1934, KLM crossed the Atlantic Ocean for the first time with a flight to Curacao in the Caribbean. In its first year of operation, KLM flew 345 passengers and 25 tons of cargo — a striking contrast to today’s more than 400 passengers and 20 tons of cargo per flight — using propeller planes from the Douglas Aircraft Company. The fleet experienced an upgrade after 1960, when the airline started flying aircraft with jet engines. Though similar in size, these new aircraft were faster, hence taking less time to reach a destination. With these new airplanes, KLM broke the record as the first airline that flew across the continent in less than 24 hours. In 1971, when the first Boeing 747 was launched, KLM became one of the first airlines that flew the aircraft. Referred to as “Jumbo Jet” due to its large size, even the first of Boeing 747s were able to carry more passengers and cargo. The airline has indeed flown different types of aircraft since the beginning of its operation. Here are the list of aircraft KLM has ever used and their years of operation:

• Propeller and jet aircraft (1920 – 1970): De Haviland DH-16, Fokker F.II, Fokker F.III, Fokker F.VIII, Douglas DC-2, Douglas DC-3, Douglas DC-4, Douglas DC- 9 and Douglas-8-63.
• Jumbo Jet aircraft (1971-2013): Boeing 747-200B, Douglas DC-10, Douglas MD-11, Boeing 747 Combi, Boeing 747-200SUD, Boeing 747-400, Boeing 767-300ER, Boeing 777-200ER and Airbus A330-200. The latter two aircraft replaced Boeing 767, Boeing 747-300, and Douglas MD-11. The entire Douglas MD-11 fleet was retired in October 2014.
• Airbus and Boeing (2014 – present): Airbus A330-300, Airbus A330-200, Boeing 737-700, Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-900.
• Active fleet: Airbus A350-900, Boeing 737-900ER, Boeing 737 MAX, Boeing 737-400, Boeing 747-400M, Boeing 777-200ER, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 787-10 and Boeing 747-400ERF (cargo).

KLM has made international achievements since 1938, staying in operation even during the Second World War. Among the airline’s achievements and milestones are:

• The first airline that flew to Manchester’s new airport (1938).
• The only civil airline that received the Douglas DC-5 (1938).
• The airline with the largest aircraft in the world (Douglas-8-63 / 1968).
• The first airline in the world that flew jet-engine aircraft (Boeing 747-200B / 1971).
• The Flying Dutchman, the airline’s first frequent flyer program (1981).
• The first airline that used biofuels for its aircraft (2012).
• Best Airline Staff Service by World Airline Awards (2012 – 2013).
• Dow Jones Sustainability Index (2004 – 2014).

These achievements are the results of the airline’s creativity, innovation, professionalism and commitment in delivering the best experience to its passengers. To offer more destinations to its passengers, the airline has developed partnerships with other airlines. Its cooperation with Northwest Airline from the United States, for instance, has been established since 1989. The two airlines joined another American airline, Continental, in becoming SkyTeam members in 2004. The same year also saw the merger of KLM and French airline company Air France. Together, they built the airline group Air France-KLM, which soon became the largest airline group in the world. Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam were designated as the group’s airport hubs, while each airline was allowed to keep using their original name in operating their flights. Over the years, KLM has established its own subsidiaries, which include regional airline KLM Cityhopper, cargo airline Martinair and low-cost airline Transavia.