3.6% increase in combined offer with Air France Strong increase in capacity to Latin America and Asia Phase-out of KLM’s last Boeing 767’s
AMSTELVEEN – For the winter 2006/07 season, Air France and KLM seat capacity will grow by 3.6% compared to winter 2005/06, with a 3.0% increase on the long-haul network and 5.7% on the medium-haul network. The 2006/07 winter season starts Sunday, October 29, 2006 and will end Saturday, March 24, 2007.
Both airlines will expand capacity to long-haul destinations, particularly to Latin America (up 9.5%) and Asia (up 6.1%). Capacity to Africa and the Middle East will increase by 2.1%. Capacity to North America (up 0.2%) will remain stable compared to the winter 2005-2006 season, while capacity to the Caribbean & Indian Ocean networks will be slightly reduced (down 1.9%).
On the medium-haul network the addition this summer of the seventh bank of connecting incoming and outgoing flights at Schiphol airport will enable KLM to increase frequencies. Air France is boosting capacity, mainly to Eastern Europe.
The fleet modernization program continues, with the arrival this winter of three Airbus A330-200s and the 14th Boeing 777-200ER at KLM, to replace the last Boeing 767-300s. Air France will replace its remaining Boeing 737-500s by Airbus A318/319/320s and will continue to add new Boeing 777-300ERs on the Caribbean and Indian Ocean routes. By the end of this winter season, practically the entire Air France long-haul fleet will be equipped with new cabin interiors.
KLM will continue to bring the cabin interiors and configurations in the Boeing 747-400 and MD-11 fleet at quality standards, comparable to the B777 and A330 fleet.
Air France and KLM are coordinating flight times and expanding their respective schedules to provide their customers with the most attractive combined offering. To many destinations passengers now benefit from a choice of two or more flight times on the same day by opting to travel one way with either KLM via Amsterdam or with Air France via Paris at the most attractive fares available. Flying Blue program members can benefit from a privileged service, earn and use Miles on all routes served by both airlines.
KLM SCHEDULE
North America
During the winter KLM will replace Boeing 767 equipment with A330-200 aircraft on flights to Atlanta, Washington and Vancouver. As in the previous winter schedule, the frequency to Vancouver will be reduced from seven to five times weekly.
KLM’s US partner Northwest Airlines will phase-out the last DC-10 on the transatlantic network on October 31, 2006. The new Airbus A330-200 and A330-300 equipment will be deployed on all Northwest operated transatlantic flights. This means that starting October 29 Northwest will operate A330 equipment also on all services from Minneapolis and Memphis to Amsterdam and from Minneapolis to London Gatwick.
The frequency on flights between Amsterdam and New York JFK will remain twice daily, as in the current summer schedule. This is three weekly flights more than during last winter. Due to the start of KLM’s refurbishment program for the MD-11 and B747 aircraft, Northwest will operate the flights between Amsterdam and Newark with A330-300 equipment, starting November 26 throughout the winter.
Latin America
No major changes in Latin America will occur during the coming season. The Boeing 777 return flight between Amsterdam and São Paulo will be maintained on a daily frequency. Flights to Aruba will be operated using MD-11 (three times per week) and B747-400 equipment (twice a week). All daily flights to Curaçao will be operated with Boeing 747-400 aircraft.
Asia
In the winter schedule KLM will increase frequencies to two destinations in China. The number of weekly return flights to Shanghai will increase from seven to nine on November 1, 2006. On December 1, 2006, the number of weekly flights to Chengdu will increase from two to three. Regarding India, the schedule increase from three to four weekly return flights from Amsterdam to Hyderabad, as introduced this summer, will continue during the winter season. Also, the new Northwest A330 aircraft will be operated on flights from Amsterdam to Mumbai.
Africa
At the start of the winter schedule the weekly frequency on flights to Tripoli will increase from three to four. As in previous winter seasons the number of flights to Cape Town will increase from five to seven, compared to the summer season.
The daily service between Amsterdam and Kilimanjaro/Dar Es Salaam will operate using MD-11 equipment instead of Boeing 767 aircraft. At the end of the winter schedule KLM will replace the Boeing 767 by Airbus A330 aircraft on flights to Entebbe and to Abuja/Kano.
Middle East
Flights to Tel-Aviv will increase to a daily operation. In the winter season Almaty, Teheran and Ammam/Doha will be served by A330 aircraft. Given seasonal demand, the frequencies on KLM flights to both Teheran and Almaty will decrease from five to four times weekly in the winter.
Due to changed market circumstances KLM will cease flight operations from Amsterdam to Amman and Damascus; for the same reason flights to Beirut have already been discontinued. KLM passengers for these destinations can be routed on Air France flights from Charles de Gaulle.
Europe
Seasonal reductions will be made on a number of European routes. Furthermore, at the start of the winter schedule an extra daily frequency will be added on flights to Billund and Humberside, and two extra daily frequencies to London City.
