Dutch carrier KLM is to drastically increase the number of destinations and frequencies in collaboration with its transatlantic partner Northwest Airlines this summer.
New flights will be introduced between Amsterdam and Hartford (Conn, US), and Detroit to Brussels and D”sseldorf, while Northwest will double the number of flights between Detroit and Frankfurt to a twice-daily service. All these new flights will be operated with Northwest”s Boeing 757 aircraft in a two-class configuration.
Frequencies will be increased on flights from Amsterdam to Detroit, Boston, Los Angeles and Toronto. The increases to Los Angeles and Boston include an early morning departure from Amsterdam, offering a good connection for passengers arriving from the Middle East, Africa and India wanting to continue to North America. Furthermore, capacity will be increased on flights to San Francisco by changing equipment to a Boeing 747-400.
On the aircraft front, KLM has finalised an important part of its fleet renewal programme by replacing all Boeing 767-300ER”s with new Airbus 330-200s, while the first phase of the MD-11 interior modification has been concluded with the installation of new and more economy class seats. There will be less business class seating.
The second part of the cabin upgrade, which will begin in the autumn of 2007, will entail replacing the current business class seats with new lie-flat seats and installing the same in-flight entertainment system as on the Airbus 330-200 and Boeing 777-200.