Celebration of a Century

World of Aviation writer CHRIS FRAME and research by aviation author JOSEF KRAUTHAUSER* combine for this celebration of a century.

1919
An airline stirs

At the end of World War I, The Netherlands experienced a boom in aviation with key inspiration spurred by former military officer Albert Plesman who had a fundamental belief in aviation’s commercial potential. In honour of what quickly became a new national obsession, the Dutch Aviation Commission, along with various civil and military groups, arranged an aviation exposition in Amsterdam. In 1919 the ‘First Air Traffic Association Exhibition’ was founded, welcoming some 800,000 thrilled spectators through its doors.

1919 was a significant year for aviation. Not only were discussions underway for a National Dutch Airline, but the International Air Traffic Association (IATA) held its first meeting at The Hague, establishing global aviation standards that help guide the industry to this day.

By October 1919, formal negotiations for the creation of the Netherlands’s flag carrier concluded. Having gained royal consent in September, the fledgling airline was established as Konikklijke Luchtvaart Maatschapij voor Nederland en Kolonien N.V – becoming known as KLM. Plesman was appointed a director.

KLM used locally produced Fokker aircraft, and by 1921 was looking to expand its reach. This included flights to Brussels, Zürich, Copenhagen and Paris.

In 1924 the airline completed a pioneering flight to Indonesia (then Dutch East India). Despite sustaining damage from an emergency landing, the flight was ultimately a success, returning to Amsterdam in December that year.

1930s
Long range beginnings

KLM flew its first night time airmail flight in 1929. The following year the airline’s network expanded to include Baghdad, Bangkok, Calcutta and Cairo.

KLM’s connection with Fokker was strengthened in 1930 when the carrier introduced two new F.IX models. These aircraft were used to trial services to India, while Fokker developed a special model specifically for KLM.

Designated F.XII, it was later developed into the F.XVIII which ushered in faster, more comfortable services to Indonesia. For long duration flights six passengers could be accommodated, while 13 seats were installed for shorter inter-Europe services.

In December 1933, a KLM Fokker F.XVIII flew a special Christmas mail service between Amsterdam and Jakarta (then Batavia) in four days. Considered at the time a feat of aeronautical engineering, the aircraft was met by more than 20,000 onlookers.

In the mid-1930s, KLM moved away from its use of Fokker aircraft and purchased the innovative Douglas DC-2. While KLM’s Douglas aircraft was assembled by Fokker in the Netherlands, the move severed the close collaboration between Fokker and the airline.

KLM expanded its American-built fleet and introduced Douglas DC-3s in 1936. It was also the inaugural customer for the Douglas DC-5 in 1938.

The ’30s
MacRobertson Air Race

The MacRobertson Air Race between Mildenhall, England and Melbourne Australia (18,000 km) took place between October 20 and November 5, 1934. It was sponsored by Sir Macpherson Robertson (1859-1945), owner of MacRobertson’s chocolate factory, who donated US$75,000. The Royal Aero Club of England hosted the race with international participation.

The race was split into two contests: first to land in Melbourne, and a handicap group with a target of 16 days to complete the course. Among the contestants was the KLM Douglas DC-2 ‘Uiver’ which reached Melbourne in 90 hours and 13 minutes after a forced overnight stay in Albury where it made an emergency landing due to bad weather.

The stop was unplanned and they did not land at an airfield, but on a race course which the rain had turned into a quagmire. The residents of Albury had been called out to shine the headlamps of their cars on the race track so that pilot Dirk Parmentier could land. As soon as it came to a halt, though, it sank into the mud up to its axles. It’s well known that, the following morning, the local population gathered again to pull the DC-2 out of the mud.

‘Uiver’ came second place in the overall ranking to a DH.88 Comet, but was the winner of the handicap race. Sadly, the victory did not bring KLM the one thing it had hoped for the most — landing rights in Australia. It would be 1951 before a KLM aircraft would land again in Australia, this time in Sydney.

1940s
Turmoil of war

In early 1939 KLM was concentrating on expanding its fleet with the introduction of additional DC-3 aircraft. In addition, the carrier established Lockheed 14 Electra flights linking the Netherlands with the Caribbean.

But the horrors of war soon reached the Netherlands, and its national airline, when Germany invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940. Five days later the country surrendered – leaving the future of KLM in doubt.

Serviceable aircraft (many had been damaged during the invasion) were handed over to the German Luftwaffe or reallocated to Deutsche Lufthansa for commercial use. Six KLM DC-2s and five DC-3s that were airborne at the time of the invasion fled to England. They went on to fly for BOAC under the guidance of their Dutch crew.

The Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies in 1942 brought KLM’s scheduled air services to an end. Salvaged KLM aircraft were sold to the US Armed Forces for use in Australia.

In 1945, following the cessation of hostilities, 18 Douglas C-54 Skymasters were handed to KLM, enabling the airline to re-establish flight operations to Batavia (now Jakarta). In Europe, the airline took delivery of five De Havilland DH-89A Rapides for commercial use and by the end of the decade had also invested in the internationally iconic Lockheed Constellations.

1950s
Post-war potential

The Dutch government’s decision to support the creation of a flying school allowed KLM to grow its pool of pilots and expand services in the years immediately following World War II.

The Netherlands recognised Indonesia as an independent nation on 27 December 1949. KLM supported the formation of Garuda Indonesia with both technical and financial support provided. Additionally, the Dutch flag carrier held a 50 per cent stake in Garuda until 1955.

In 1952 KLM introduced tourist class on flights between Amsterdam and New York. This new travel class introduced lower fares which, despite coming at the expense of passenger comforts, was very successful.

Throughout the 1950s the airline became renowned as the leading North Atlantic airfreight carrier. Specialising in animal transport, KLM aircraft regularly transported race horses as well as exotic animals for transport between zoos.

In 1957 the airline took delivery of 10 Douglas DC-7s. Widely acclaimed as the most modern airliners of their day, the DC-7 was fully pressurised and provided improved comforts for passengers. Further pressurised airliners were added to the fleet, including the Vickers Viscount 803 in 1957 and Lockheed L-188 Electra in 1959.

1960s
The Jet Age

In the late 1950s, the introduction of the Douglas’s DC-8 in particular fundamentally changed the aviation landscape. Jet airliners brought fast, affordable travel to the masses. Seemingly overnight, jet aircraft became the dominant form of travel.

KLM received its first jet – a Douglas DC-8 – on March 20 1960. Douglas DC-7 routes were progressively transferred to DC-8 equipment, as more jets entered the fleet. With the DC-7s relegated to shorter routes, the existing fleet of DC-6s and Lockheed Constellations were mothballed and later scrapped.

KLM supported the creation of various independent airlines throughout the 60s, including ALM in the Caribbean and KLM Noordzee Helikopters – a helicopter division that supported North Sea oil platforms. The airline also backed the establishment of NLM which operated Fokker F27s domestically between Dutch cities.

From 1966, KLM began to transition its domestic fleet to jet aircraft with the introduction of Douglas DC-9 aircraft. By the end of 1966, six DC-9-15s were in service, with larger DC-9-32s joining the fleet the following year.

In July 1967, KLM made the bold move to order Boeing’s yet untested 747 airliner, while the decade ended with the company ordering Douglas’s DC-10 to supplement its long-haul services.

1970s
Widebodies

KLM’s first Boeing 747 arrived in Amsterdam on January 31 1971. A 200B model, the aircraft was named Mississippi and completed its delivery flight from Seattle in a single 10-hour segment.

The arrival of the airline’s first 747 attracted great attention at Schiphol Airport with thousands of people turning out to see the iconic airliner. The 747 introduced a new livery for KLM. Comprising of two striking shades of blue, the colour scheme forms the basis for the corporate identity of the airline to this day.

747s were used to inaugurate new long-haul services, including linking Amsterdam with Tokyo which turned out to be a highly successful route.

At the end of 1972 the airline welcomed its first Douglas DC-10. Named Ludwig van Beethoven the aircraft was the first of eleven DC-10-30s in the KLM fleet. DC-10s were used on long-haul routes that could not justify the larger capacity of the 747.

The 1970s oil crisis hit KLM hard, with costs soaring and fuel surcharge levied on passenger tickets. In order to support the airline, the Dutch government took a controlling stake in the carrier, while excess 747 aircraft were converted into “combi” models allowing them to carry both passengers and freight.

1980s
The tough times

The 1980s were a difficult decade for KLM. The second oil crisis of 1979/80 caused great hardship for many companies and the Netherlands was in deep recession by 1982.

Like many carriers, KLM looked for ways to reduce fuel consumption with the airline replacing its uneconomical DC-8 fleet with modern and efficient A310s.

In 1983 the airline began conversion of 10 of its 747-200s to include the new extended upper deck introduced on the 747-300 models. Works were undertaken at Everett between 1984 and 1986.

The 1980s also saw KLM replace its ageing DC-9s with modern Boeing 737-300s for its medium-haul network. Entering service from 1986, the 737s were supplemented by a fleet of 10 Fokker 100s the following year, with these smaller aircraft used on short-haul routes.

KLM flew its last Douglas DC-9 service in 1989, while that same year it inaugurated Boeing 747-400 flights. By June 1989 the -400 model had replaced older 747s on KLM’s most prestigious routes including New York.

The airline further expanded its presence in the US market when it acquired a 20 per cent stake in Northwest Airlines. Northwest would later paint a DC-10 in a striking hybrid livery to promote the two airlines’ cooperative agreement.

1990s
Review and rebuild

At the start of the 1990s, KLM opted to replace its ageing DC-10s with McDonnell Douglas MD11s. The airline placed an order for 10 MD11s while reserving options for a further five aircraft, with deliveries commencing in 1993.

The airline also expanded its presence in Germany, with flights to Dresden commencing in the summer of 1990 and Berlin in 1991.

But the trials and tribulations of the past decade had left KLM in a difficult financial position. This situation worsened during the first Gulf War. The fall in value of the US dollar and Japanese yen also impacted the airline’s profitability.

On April 1, 1991 KLM Cityhopper was formed through the merger of NLM Cityhopper and Netherlines. Four Fokker F28s, 10 Fokker F50s and 12 Saab 340s were painted in a special Cityhopper livery for this service.

During the 1990s KLM changed its product offer. Aboard the DC-10 fleet first class was removed in lieu of an improved business class and an increased economy class capacity.

In 1999 the airline made the strategic move to order a fleet of next generation 777s which were flagged to replace ageing models in the early 21st century.

2019
A century of service

The March 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland created havoc for airlines across Europe and the world. By April, the Netherlands was deeply impacted and was one of eight countries that had to close their airspace.

With Schiphol closed for four days, KLM’s operations were severely interrupted – with aircraft stranded as far afield as Dubai, New York, Toronto and Shanghai.

KLM completed its first flight using biofuel in June 2011, while the following year a Boeing 777-206ER flew to Rio de Janeiro powered by biofuel made from cooking oils.

In November 2015 the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 787-Dreamliner, a -9 model. This model represents a significant step in KLM’s fleet upgrade programme and joined deliveries of 777-300s that boosted the airline’s operational efficiency.

In 2019 KLM continued to evolve. The airline acknowledged its 100th anniversary with a special 100-themed livery applied to a number of aircraft including Boeing 787 PH-BKA.

The airline continued to grow its 787 fleet with deliveries of -10 models which started in (northern) summer 2019.

Furthermore, the Dutch government invested in a 14 per cent share of Air France KLM Group, hopefully securing the historic company’s future for decades to come.

Published with the assistance of Josef Krauthauser with edited extracts and illustrations from his book: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines 1919 – 2019. 192 pages, hardcover, approx. 600 colour and black-and-white illustrations. Published by NARA-Verlag, www.nara-verlag.de. Text in English and German. Price: €34.95