KLM

[cmj]

Gaps in the numbering for another two rotations..

 

[Gray Ham]

I seem to recall that KLM did for a while operate 6 rotations a day. This was when the aircraft utilised was F50. Wonder if the present flight numbers date back to then.

 

[imagineif]

Yes there was more frequency for a time when it went from a Fokker 100 base to a Fokker 50 base - there was usually a Fokker 50 arriving from Amsterdam just before sunrise so no long after the early departed!

Interesting that along with the Leeds increase, KLM has announced Inverness & Southampton - both Flybe AMS routes. Although KLM & Flybe have a history of code share agreements - Flybe's recent ventures into the Amsterdam market from the UK has ruffled feathers. Particularly with them going head to head with KLM at Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle.

FYI - two brand spanking new E190's are due in fleet this coming week. Followed by the first E175 in March!

 

[cmj]

Does anyone know the loads on the Christmas Day flights?

With my parents here and the outlaws coming over, I would probably rather be in the air

 

[Aviador]

I feel for you. It's the outlaws tomorrow for me so be thinking of me.

 

[imagineif]

KLM have already adjusted the summer timetable from LBA -

All flights will be E190 from the start of the summer timetable until the end of June, then the lunch time shuttle will be Fokker 70 during July & August.

Returning to an all E190 operation for September, the good news is - timetables published into the winter schedule (currently as far as October 28th) - show the 4 daily flights.

KLM is reportedly looking at ways to expedite its Fokker 70 retirement having found buyers for all 18 remaining air-frames. It now needs to negotiate a revised delivery schedule with Embraer however to facilitate this.

 

[Aviador]

The Yorkshire Evening Post is reporting on a former employee of KLM who worked as cabin crew for the airline who drank over four times the drink driving limit on a flight from back from Amsterdam to Leeds.

AN AIR hostess who was drunk while working as cabin crew on a KLM flight from Amsterdam to Leeds Bradford Airport is set to be sacked and lose a £30,000 redundancy payout after an previously unblemished 18-year career, a court heard.

Read more: http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... z3xDEEa5Hp

I can't believe her colleagues actually let her travel. Surely the captain of the flight must have been aware she was drunk. Thoughts?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The Yorkshire Evening Post is reporting on a former employee of KLM who worked as cabin crew for the airline who drank over four times the drink driving limit on a flight from back from Amsterdam to Leeds.

AN AIR hostess who was drunk while working as cabin crew on a KLM flight from Amsterdam to Leeds Bradford Airport is set to be sacked and lose a £30,000 redundancy payout after an previously unblemished 18-year career, a court heard.

Read more: http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... z3xDEEa5Hp

I can't believe her colleagues actually let her travel. Surely the captain of the flight must have been aware she was drunk. Thoughts?

If she was as unsteady on the flight as the bus driver alleged she was on her way to the car park then, yes, it seems inconceivable that her colleagues did nothing and that no passenger complained. There would have been at least one other cabin attendant (F 70) or two others (E195) who would have, one would hope, alerted the captain if they had concerns.

It may be that her conditioned worsened after she made her way from the terminal/crew quarters to the car park.

Whatever the underlying causes it does seem sad that a long and apparently unblemished career as a flight attendant should end like this. However, I have no sympathy for her. She might have killed someone driving in that state or failed to act in an emergency situation on board the aircraft.

 

[Aviador]

Four times the legal drink drive limit isn't an enormous amount of alcohol for some people. I'm not a huge drinker though and I'd feel drunk after 4 pints which is about the sort of amounts of alcohol we're talking about. The effects of alcohol are exacerbated when flying though so it's hard to believe the other crew members weren't aware of her being intoxicated whilst at work.

 

[imagineif]

KLM cityhopper is taking delivery of its first Embraer 175+ this Sunday - the PH-EXG.

The aircraft will be configured with 88 Slim seats and offer an adaptable Business & Economy Comfort section offering better pitch. This is an enhanced version of the E175 and features a large sweeping winglet design as well as incorporating other aerodynamic improvements.

KLM has 19 of these aircraft on order, with options on 15 more. Delivery dates up to 2018 by which time the Fokker 70 should be completely gone.

The first few aircraft have set day routes from March 27th with no night stop initially, they can be operated by current Embraer crew and will show up across the network as a Fokker 70 and E190 subsitute when the need arises.

So it wont be long before you catch them in LBA no doubt!

 

[752]

KLM's new 4th daily flight started today, looks like it has been operated by a E190 and not F70 as previous announced

 

[leedslad]

Really hate the way the media swallows up the press releases by KLM/LBA... Sold as them increasing frequency to meet rising passenger demand...

Reality being it's something they do every year and then quietly chop the service through winter, only the following year to announce it's reintroduction as an expansion...

 

[Aviador]

That's so true "leedslad" and then there's the airport spin doctor at work who conveniently forgets to tell you all the routes that have been dropped. Then again, it would be a depressing read though wouldn't it.

 

[imagineif]

The 4th rotation did not operate from Leeds last year due to a shortage of aircraft at KLM, it remained 3 a day all summer.

The 4th rotation is returning for the first time since 2014 so its not so clear cut and I don't think anybody is trying to mislead.

It is exactly what it says on the tin - an answer to capacity demands over the summer. It will be back to 3 for the winter ... that's not a chop that is planned reduction in frequency in line with demand and they do it all over their network. If it will return for Summer 16 - depends on aircraft availability and performance this summer.

KLM is making reactionary equipment changes wherever it can be flexible according to loads, this week for example - the morning in/out will be Fokker 70 (planned) all week before going back E190. Then planned on the Fokker 70 again during July/August on some rotations.

 

[imagineif]

KLM has announced that Fokker 70 retirement will be brought forward by 12 months, initially the fleet was planned to retire after Summer 2018 season but they will now be gone at the end of next Summer, with the last scheduled Fokker 70 flight on 31st October 2017.

One would imagine that delivery of its Embraer 175+ that are replacing the Fokker will be expedited to allow this.

KLM has also announced the closure of all KLM cityhopper UK bases with positioning crew, to that end - Newcastle, Manchester & Birmingham ceased as active bases for cityhopper at the end of April. Some 30+ crew across those bases have either transferred to work from Leeds or have been redundant.

In October, the Glasgow/Edinburgh base will be closed with the crew based here also having to take relocation or redundancy.

Positioning crew bases are bases which have mainly 737 operation and so the cityhopper UK crew have to position as passengers to Amsterdam before commencing duty - seldom operating as active crew from their home base.

That will leave active crew bases at Leeds, Humberside & Norwich - plus a pilot only base at Bristol. These bases differ as they have cityhopper only rotations (as a rule) and the UK crew have roster activity from the bases.

However, KLM has indicated it will close all remaning UK bases by Summer 2018 with the remaining crew transferring to Amsterdam or taking redundancy.

 

[White Heather]

Does that mean LBA is eventually going to lose its based aircraft?? Or does it mean that the aircraft will remain overnight at LBA and the crew will be in a hotel every night?

 

[lbaspotter]

I guess it will mean Leeds/Bradford will lose its UK based crews but retain the overnighting aircraft with Amsterdam based crews been put into hotels.

 

[JakeS]

With this news in mind and 738's on the way for Jet2 I could see them tactically upgrade AMS flights from a 733. KLM would in turn reduce rotations and cut the night stopping E190.

 

[cmj]

Cutting the night stopper would IMHO be a bit of a blow - we would lose a lot of early connections outbound and late connections inbound. I would be going over the hills if that happened.

 

[rmac]

I cannot imagine KLM not having a night stopper after all these years. The loss of business would be considerable and BA would be prompted to have their early morning LHR service up and running.
Brussels Airlines might consider too!