1995 Summer Schedule; More flights to intercontinental destinations.

AMSTELVEEN, The Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 15, 1995--KLM is planning more flights to a variety of intercontinental destinations for its coming summer service. Starting June 27, Memphis, Tenn. will become KLM's eleventh destination in the United States.

The European route network will be expanded with flights to Almaty in Kazakhstan from September 25. What is more, the KLM fleet is taking on a new aircraft type, the Boeing 767-300ER. This summer, KLM will link up with 149 cities in 83 countries.

The 1995 summer schedule will run from Sunday, March 26 to Saturday, Oct. 28. During this period, KLM will operate more than 41,000 flights with over 10 million available seats. Compared to summer 1994, that is an increase of more than 300 intercontinental flights totaling 6,350. Flights to Sydney, Seoul, San Jose, Panama, Lima, Casablanca, Lagos, Dhaka and Dar es Salaam will all be increased by one per week. The winter schedule included three flights a week to Osaka. As the summer schedule begins, this will increase to four; and as the schedule progresses, this will rise to six per week. Flights to Nairobi will go from two to four flights a week.

Eastern Europe

Flights throughout Europe will parallel the number offered in summer '94 with more than 34,000. KLM will operate flights to the new destination of Almaty in Kazakhstan twice a week. From September, flights to Kiev in the Ukraine will increase by two per week coming to six per week.

Market Developments

KLM continues to adapt its line network to better meet market developments and traffic demands. As a result, flights to Bogota, Montevideo and Doha will be discontinued as the summer schedule begins. These flights were operated in conjunction with other destinations.

In an effort to reduce costs and increase yield on the European network, KLM is looking at possibilities to operate existing European services cooperatively with other airlines. The summer schedule will mark the discontinuation of flights to Nuremberg, Germany. On April 29, flights to Hannover will stop as well. Instead, these services will be carried out by the German airline Eurowings. This company's flights connect well with KLM's intercontinental route network at Schiphol.

KLM and Northwest - Partners

Starting June 27, KLM will begin service to its eleventh US destination, Memphis. KLM will operate four services a week together with its partner Northwest Airlines, flying a KLM MD-11. All KLM-Northwest flights between the US and Europe are joint venture services. Memphis is Northwest's most important domestic hub. In the coming summer period, US domestic flights operating under a joint NW/KL flight number will be increased by 30, coming to 126. In Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, flights carrying a KL/NW flight number will travel to 27 destinations. This summer season will also see the addition of four original KLM destinations. The existing daily scheduled service to Minneapolis/St. Paul and Detroit will double this summer. Every day, KLM and Northwest will each operate one flight to both cities.

Revamping the Product

In the coming summer period, KLM will continue with its never-ending process of product improvement in an effort to meet the needs and wishes of the traveling public. As part of this campaign, KLM is one of the first airlines to offer its passengers satellite telephone service. As the summer schedule begins, about 75% of KLM's intercontinental fleet will be outfitted with phone equipment, and installation should reach 100% in the first few weeks of the new period.

All passengers in KLM's World Business Class will have a telephone at their seat. Tourist Class will carry between five and nine wall phones, depending on cabin configuration. All phones are credit card operated.

With the initiation of the summer schedule, Dutch-speaking passengers will see a long-wished-for dream come true. From this time on, all English-language films in Tourist Class will have Dutch subtitles. From the end of March, passengers on intercontinental Tourist Class flights will see an all-new film and video program: KLM Aerovision. This will feature a variety of amusement programs and first-run feature films.

Starting June 1, intercontinental Tourist Class passengers will receive an expanded inflight program. In addition to meal and drink selections, the program will provide interesting facts about the inflight service.

Short European Flights

KLM has started an experiment on some of its shorter European flights. On these flights, the Business Class passenger receives a meal better attuned to the time of day. KLM plans to make this a permanent feature on all its short European flights later on in the year. Since the start of the current winter schedule, at the end of October 1994, the Tourist Class product also has been changed. Passengers now have a choice of distinctive sandwiches and beverages.

Home Base Schiphol

Schiphol's "KLM Hall" has taken on a new name, as have all departure halls at the airport. It is now referred to as Departures 2. This area is now dedicated to checking in passengers for KLM and all its partners. The summer schedule will emphasize further improvements in flight punctuality. A special team, called Back On Track, has been assembled especially to increase the punctuality of departures from Schiphol compared to last summer.

With the start of the summer schedule, all travelers from Schiphol will benefit from the rules of the "Schengen Accord." This open-border agreement between the Benelux, Germany, France, Spain and Portugal will make it possible to travel between these countries without passport checks. In order to speed the flow of travelers between the "Schengen countries," Schiphol Airport, the Dutch Border Police, and the airlines involved are setting up a temporary "open border card" system. These clearly marked tickets will see to it that passengers can travel the best possible routes through the airport. The open border cards will be used until the end of this year.

CONTACT: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Odette Fodor-Gernaert, 914/784-2480