Royal Dutch Airlines
(KLM) has expanded its summer roster to include an extra daily flight from John Lennon Airport to Schiphol, Amsterdam. The carrier, which is a subsidiary of Air France-KLM, hopes to improve connections between Liverpool and other cities.
Founded in 1919, KLM is the flag-carrying airline of the Netherlands, noted for its blue and white aeroplanes. The firm entered into a partnership with Air France in 2004, and now provides flights to over 200 destinations worldwide. KLM’s latest expansion at Liverpool boosts the capacity of the Amsterdam route by a third, up to four flights a day.
Liverpool has been host to three KLM routes since March 2009, all of which fly from Merseyside to the Dutch capital. Airport bosses are eager to attract businesses with global renown to the northwest, and believe that drawing more and larger airlines to Liverpool will help the region float its economy.
According to airline manager Henri Hourcade, the new flight is a testament to KLM’s commitment to the northwest: “Our new summer schedule is great news for Liverpool and for KLM, and is a tangible symbol of the strength of our operations out of Merseyside.” The extra flight will join the carrier’s roster in May.
Rival airline, Ryanair, has also announced a new route out of Liverpool Airport. From May 21, the carrier will begin offering flights to Szczecin, Poland. The trip, the second Ryanair offers to Szczecin from an airport outside London, costs £19.99 for a one-way flight.