As we prepare to dive head-first into the summer timetables, airlines are preparing to ramp up their operations after a torrid two years. KLM is no different, with the airline planning to serve 167 destinations this summer.
The Dutch airline will serve 96 European and 71 intercontinental destinations between 27 March and 29 October.
European Network
With its European network, KLM will focus on increasing frequencies and capacities for the season as restrictions continue to lift across the continent.
As such, the airline is boosting capacity by 10% this year – almost matching pre-COVID flights to offer 16 million seats.
Highlights include Porto and Lisbon, with three and four flights a day respectively getting service increases, whilst Belgrade, Dubrovnik and Palma de Mallorca, which were added to the KLM route network last year, will also be served fro the summer season.
Perhaps more importantly, KLM also expects the precious business travellers to return, which is why frequencies are added to British, German and Polish routes.
However, services to Kyiv, St Petersburg and Moscow continue to be suspended.
Intercontinental network
The intercontinental network is seeing boosts, with capacity increased by 17% compared to the year before (based on rising bookings).
Caribbean
For those heading to the Caribbean, KLM will operate daily flights to Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, with Curaçao increasing to twice daily during the summer holiday season.
Port of Spain, KLM’s new tropical destination in the winter schedule, is included in the summer schedule too.
USA
KLM’s capacity to the USA this summer matches that of 2019 as restrictions have eased.
The airline will also be resuming flights to Salt Lake City, as well as the launch of the Austin route. In total, KLM will be operating direct services this summer to 12 destinations in the USA
Asia
Whilst Asia is slowly opening up to visitors, it seems that passengers want to travel. Summer demand to destinations such as the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Bali have noticed increased demand.
The airline is waiting for India to open up further, with the airline ready to scale its operations to Delhi and Mumbai.
Asian destinations continue to be a strong and important market for cargo for the airline, allowing them to continue to operate lower frequency services to all pre-pandemic destinations.
With entry China still limited, the usual network is paused and limits on operations continue. Meanwhile, Flight times to and from South Korea, Japan and China are consequently on average two hours longer than usual. Flights to Japan and China are currently making a stopover in Seoul.
South America
Capacity on most routes to South America has been restored to more or less pre-pandemic levels.
KLM is currently operating daily services to Sao Paulo, Panama City and Lima, with a minimum of six flights a week to Quito/Guayaquil, Bogota/Cartagena, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires/Santiago de Chile.
Africa
Africa is served by 10 destinations this summer, with capacity has been expanded on many routes.
Zanzibar will return for the Summer 2022 network, with the airline servicing Johannesburg, Cape Town, Accra, Lagos, Kigali, Entebbe, Nairobi, Kilimanjaro, and Dar es Salaam.
Choices galore
With a busy summer season ahead and with capacity growing to meet demand, KLM looks to be well placed for the summer 2022 season, offering its customers a choice of destinations both near and far away.
As usual, you will need to check the entry requirements for each country that you intend to travel or transit through – these are still some odd times we are living through and requirements are constantly changing.
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