KLM

[cmj]

I am personally happy with four a day but look forward to the new aircraft type being able to make Cat 3 approaches followed by an auto land in the winter months. This will improve the service reliability due to
the F70 being only Cat 2 which creates problems from time to time.

4 mostly full flights a day is better than 5 a bit full ones from KLMs perspective. The Embraers will increase the capacity too.

 

[imagineif]

If anything, the next step would be a 737 rotation. Putting a 5th flight in would not be too beneficial as it would not fit into the departure/arrival waves system and connections too well. Much more efficient to put a 737 in but you may see a reduction to 2X 737 & 1X E190. Personally, its nice to see 4 a day

The only reason they have so many rotations into LHR with so many of them on the Fk70 & E190 is they don't want to loose the slots but gone are the days of sending in the 767 and A330..... for now.

From the end of May you will see 4X E190 rotations offering 400 seats a day from LBA except on the weekends. But as yet no PR from LBA to promote this fact ... aircraft upgrade/capacity. They are far too busy putting out non event news story's.

From the winter, the rotations are planned to go back to 3x as per the last 2 years.

Quick Livery Update for you...

I have watched several forums including a pilot union forum today in the Netherlands - for the VNV.

KLM are remaining very vague with Tweets and have shown only a rear perspective shot of the new aircraft...

However, a source leaked a photo showing pretty much the same KLM livery as current, but with Wave/swoosh type coverage towards the nose which better suits the profile of the E190.

There is also some speculation that it will only be implemented on the E190 fleet (odd If true??)... time will tell.

FYI it is routing to TFS tomorrow and will fly TFS-AMS on the 30th for a photo reception. It is intended to operate its first mission on the 1st!

In the same forum, I saw that the new look will for sure not be painted on the Fokker Fleet because KLM are on the cusp of announcing a revised - more rapid removal of the Fokker Fleet!! Currently, last aircraft planned to go 2018...

I will remain subjective on the above until its in print from KLM.

 

[Bigman]

I wonder if we might see an upgrade around the Tour De France weekend.

 

[imagineif]

KLM Finally make a PR regarding the livery - a link provided below...

In Summary -

> New adaptation - to better suit the profile of Modern Aircraft nose... E190/787/350
> All E190 fleet will begin the repaint process first... followed by Fokker 70, Boeing 737 then 787's
> Official Launch 30th April
> More pictures from 17:00 UTC today 29th April

So that's good news, the Fokker will also be getting the new look (explains why they suddenly stopped updating the fonts).

Although currently only a select few fleet types are intended for the new paint - its commonly believed the new look will become the standard KLM livery.

http://news.klm.com/klm-welcomes-its-latest-embraer-190-and-modified-livery/

 

[cmj]

A 737 would (for now at least) involve KLM mainline rather than cityhopper, so it may be a bit more complicated. I think we need to see how the E190s fill up first.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

This route does show that LBA has a roll to play as a Hub airport

 

[imagineif]

Here she is... just a full side profile picture for the final reveal is pending!

https://twitter.com/KLM/status/461161425847582720

 

[Ray Finkle]

Find the five differences between the old and the modified livery of our #Embraer190

https://twitter.com/KLM/status/461188332395839489

 

[imagineif]

The last "scheduled" Fokker 70 departure on the KL1540 early Amsterdam will depart on Monday 26th.

After this departure all other planned movements will be Embraer 190 - and the type will make its first base night stop arriving 21:20 the same evening. Air UK / KLM uk & as it is now KLM cityhopper - have operated Fokker 27, 50, 100 & 70 equipment from its Leeds base since the 80's.

The UK pilots based at LBA have moved onto the Embraer as part of the type change at base. KLM has now removed 6 Fokker 70's from its operation and will be down to just 19 of the type by next month.

I am sure will will see the Fokker 70 on occasion when things don't quite go to plan

Now some bad news, I asked if the E190 could do a full auto land at Leeds in low visibility and was informed NOPE. They have trialled it and the conclusion was it is possible but KLM will not be doing full auto lands with its Embraers in Leeds Bradford. It would seem the aircraft will have the same limits as the Fokker for LBA operations sadly. I asked why and received the answer I heard on several previous occasions. "It just floats too far down the runway when coming in on 32".

Its a shame this modern new jet offering increased capacity and superior avionics to the Fokker will also fall foul of our short uneven runway and susceptibility to low visibility.

 

[lbaspotter]

Hi all

Well the final day has arrived for the Fokker 70. As I just thought I'll remind you all that tomorrow is the last full day of Fokker 70 operations for KLM City Hopper on the Leeds/Bradford - Amsterdam route...

Tomorrow evenings (Sunday May 25th) KLM1551 night stopping service ETA 21:20 is currently the last Fokker 70 scheduled to arrive into Leeds/Bradford. In doing so It will also become the last one scheduled out when it departs early morning Bank Monday (May 26th) ETD 06:20 operating the KLM1540 service back home to Amsterdam. She may get a water Cannon salute and should be operated by the last Leeds based Fokker 70 type rated crew!

After that all Leeds/Bradford - Amsterdam flights should become a fully Embrear 190 operated with the arrival of the Monday mornings KLM1545 from Amsterdam ETA 08:35.

I will be sad to see the Fokker disappear after all these years! As they have been operating daily basis for a good few decades now for both British Midland, KLM & Air UK. Saying that as imagineif said last week on here I wouldn't be surprised to see the KLM City Hopper fleet of Fokker 70's appearing on the odd occasions as a replacement due tech or delayed aircraft plus Austrian Airlines could always still use one on the winter ski Innsbruck charter.

 

[imagineif]

Today's & tomorrows last departure will be operated by a combination of Dutch & Humberside based UK pilots - there are no longer any Leeds based UK pilots on the Fokker as they are all now flying the Embraer.

Farewell Fokker, 3 Decades at LBA - end of an Era!

06:20 Monday 26th May for the last thundering climb out of those Rolls Royce Tay 620 engines - Good Morning Yeadon!


AIR UK F27
AIR UK F50
AIR UK F100

KLM UK F50
KLM UK F100

KLM CITYHOPPER F100
KLM CITYHOPPER F70

 

[oldendays]

And before Air UK, it was the Air Anglia F27. AQ took on LBA-AMS from British Airways back in 1976. Effectively 38 years with the same operator. Not bad going.

 

[lbaspotter]

Just found out that PH-KZK has been allocated the job of been the last KLM City Hopper, Fokker 70 to be scheduled into Leeds/Bradford.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Dont forget the air anglia fokker 28's

 

[oldendays]

Completely forgot about the F28s although they only visited LBA sporadically. Probably the old runway length issue again...

 

[Aviador]

There weren't many F28's around were there?

 

[eastcoaster]

The f-28 s operated Edinburgh leeds Paris and return. The one we have forgotten is the Air UK BAC 1-11/400 that operated Glasgow Leeds Amsterdam.

 

[a300boy]

We also had the Handley Page Heralds of BIA doing the Paris and occasionally the Amsterdam flights.

 

[eastcoaster]

Also forgot the Air Uk Shorts 360, the dreaded Box. It did the Amsterdam and sometimes via Humberside too.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Runway length was not an issue for the f28. I remember it landing several times on runway 28. I am sure I watched it take off on 28 on one occasion, but its a long time ago so it may actually hve been 10. In any case only 1000m of tarmac were available. I always had impression it was a good short field performer. I remember the paris leeds glasgow service well, especially when the rugby internationals were taking place. Once an old lady got off at leeds insted of edinburgh by mistake-things werent as tightly controlled!