Latest news with #KLMRoyalDutchAirlines
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
A flight to nowhere U-turned over the Atlantic when the airline realized it needed maintenance
A KLM flight U-turned over the Atlantic when the airline realized it needed maintenance. The Airbus A330-300 was flying from Amsterdam to Toronto when the incident occurred. The plane would have reached a "maintenance deadline" during the trip, KLM told Business Insider. A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Toronto took a flight to nowhere on Monday after it became apparent the aircraft was scheduled for maintenance. Passengers on Flight KL691 were scheduled to depart 11.20 a.m. local time from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on Monday, but faced a first hurdle when the Airbus A330 intended for the flight had to be withdrawn from service. A replacement plane was found, eventually taking off around two hours after its scheduled departure. The flight reached roughly halfway across the Atlantic Ocean before turning back and returning to Amsterdam, data from Flightradar24 shows. KLM confirmed to Business Insider that the U-turn was caused by the aircraft reaching a "maintenance deadline." "During flight KL691 from Amsterdam to Toronto, it was decided to return to Schiphol as a precaution after it became apparent during the flight that the replacement aircraft (PH-AKA) would reach its maintenance deadline," the airline said in a statement. "The aircraft was fully airworthy at the time of departure. To prevent the license from expiring during the flight, it was decided to return to perform the maintenance in the Netherlands. One person who said they were on the flight shared their experience on Reddit, alongside a photo of their in-flight screen. "Literally mid-flight we got the announcement that the plane they got was not supposed to fly and needed big maintenance that was due today unable to perform in Toronto, so back to Amsterdam," the user wrote. "Pilot and crew were very apologetic," they added. Aircraft have strict maintenance schedules to ensure they are checked thoroughly and remain airworthy. When aircraft experience in-flight issues or problems like the one encountered by flight KL691, it is often easier for airlines to return to their home bases rather than attempting to fix problems thousands of miles away. This often leads to so-called flights to nowhere, where airliners turn back, often thousands of miles into their journey, to return home. As well as making fixing issues easier, returning to a home base also makes it simpler to rebook passengers onto new flights, as was the case with KLM's flight to Toronto. "Although all passengers were rebooked upon arrival, we naturally find it very unfortunate for the passengers who were affected by this," KLM said in its statement. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Business Insider
A flight to nowhere U-turned over the Atlantic when the airline realized it needed maintenance
A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Toronto took a flight to nowhere on Monday after it became apparent the aircraft was scheduled for maintenance. Passengers on Flight KL691 were scheduled to depart 11.20 a.m. local time from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on Monday, but faced a first hurdle when the Airbus A330 intended for the flight had to be withdrawn from service. A replacement plane was found, eventually taking off around two hours after its scheduled departure. The flight reached roughly halfway across the Atlantic Ocean before turning back and returning to Amsterdam, data from Flightradar24 shows. KLM confirmed to Business Insider that the U-turn was caused by the aircraft reaching a "maintenance deadline." "During flight KL691 from Amsterdam to Toronto, it was decided to return to Schiphol as a precaution after it became apparent during the flight that the replacement aircraft (PH-AKA) would reach its maintenance deadline," the airline said in a statement. "The aircraft was fully airworthy at the time of departure. To prevent the license from expiring during the flight, it was decided to return to perform the maintenance in the Netherlands. One person who said they were on the flight shared their experience on Reddit, alongside a photo of their in-flight screen. "Literally mid-flight we got the announcement that the plane they got was not supposed to fly and needed big maintenance that was due today unable to perform in Toronto, so back to Amsterdam," the user wrote. "Pilot and crew were very apologetic," they added. Aircraft have strict maintenance schedules to ensure they are checked thoroughly and remain airworthy. When aircraft experience in-flight issues or problems like the one encountered by flight KL691, it is often easier for airlines to return to their home bases rather than attempting to fix problems thousands of miles away. This often leads to so-called flights to nowhere, where airliners turn back, often thousands of miles into their journey, to return home. As well as making fixing issues easier, returning to a home base also makes it simpler to rebook passengers onto new flights, as was the case with KLM's flight to Toronto. "Although all passengers were rebooked upon arrival, we naturally find it very unfortunate for the passengers who were affected by this," KLM said in its statement.
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Business Standard
28-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
IndiGo appoints Ton Dortmans to lead A350 service, MRO growth plans
IndiGo has announced that Ton Dortmans will be joining the airline around mid-August 2025. He will play a key role in preparing for the technical entry into service of IndiGo's Airbus A350 aircraft and help enhance the airline's overall Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities. Dortmans brings four decades of experience from his time at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. He spent the last 13 years there as Executive Vice President of Engineering and Maintenance. Supporting IndiGo's growth strategy In line with IndiGo's strategic plan, 'Towards New Heights and Across New Frontiers', introduced in mid-2022, the airline has been launching various growth initiatives. One major step includes the order of Airbus A350 wide-body aircraft, expected to start arriving in 2027. These aircraft, equipped with Rolls-Royce engines, mark a significant step as IndiGo enters the wide-body segment for the first time. With a current fleet of over 400 aircraft and more than 900 on order, IndiGo is working to develop extensive in-house MRO capabilities in India. As part of this effort, the airline opened its second hangar in Bengaluru in 2023. Dortmans will report to Chief Operating Officer Isidro Porqueras and work closely with Senior Vice President of Engineering, Parichay Dutta. IndiGo has also set up an office in Amsterdam to support its expansion in Europe. From July 2025, flights to Manchester and Amsterdam are set to begin. Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers said, 'Ton has a wealth of experience in the field of MRO and wide-body airline operations that IndiGo will benefit from. At IndiGo, we are delighted and grateful that, post retiring from his illustrious KLM career, Ton will join us to support IndiGo's team for the next phase to become a Global Aviation player. The opportunity to develop such MRO capabilities in-house for IndiGo in India with home-grown talent and the volumes of our operation was just not to be missed.' Vikram Singh Mehta appointed IndiGo's new chairman In a separate announcement, IndiGo has named Vikram Singh Mehta as the new chairman of its board. He will take over from Venkataramani Sumantran, who has served as chairman for the past three years. Sumantran stepped down following the completion of his five-year term as a board member, as stated in an exchange filing. 'Sumantran was appointed as the Chairman of the Board in May 2022 and post Covid, navigated the Board during IndiGo's strong recovery and incredible growth over the past three years,' the company noted.
IOL News
28-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Air France rekindles the romance of direct summer flights between Cape Town and Paris
Air France has announced the return of its seasonal direct flights between Cape Town and Paris for the summer season of 2025/2026. Air France has announced the return of its seasonal direct flights between Cape Town and Paris for the summer season of 2025/2026. From 15 December 2025 to 12 January 2026, Air France will operate daily nonstop flights between the Cape Town and Paris, just in time for South Africa's summer season and Europe's peak holiday period. Powered by the state-of-the-art Airbus A350, passengers can expect a travel experience synonymous with French elegance and comfort. Air France is renowned for its commitment to providing top-tier service, and this route will showcase their approach from gourmet meals to Champagne served in all classes. "We're thrilled to bring our seasonal Cape Town–Paris flights back, and see it upgrade the service to daily flights connecting both cities this summer," said Wilson Tauro, Country Manager Southern Africa at Air France-KLM. "This seasonal increase to daily flights between the two cities is a reflection of Air France's strong and growing relationship with South Africa." The daily schedule for flights AF0871 will see departures from Cape Town each morning at 08:50am, landing in Paris at 7:20pm. The return service, AF0890, will depart Paris each evening at 6:30pm, arriving back in Cape Town at 06:45am the following day. This arrangement not only accentuates the convenience for European travellers seeking to explore the idyllic beaches and world-class cultural offerings of Cape Town but also provides South Africans with a vital link to Europe, the Americas, and beyond through Paris. Furthermore, in collaboration with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Air France-KLM is ramping up its services to South Africa, offering a collective total of 32 weekly flights across the country. This expanded service will cater to over 11,000 seats available in each direction on a weekly basis, illustrating the group's commitment to fostering connections that support business and leisure travel between continents. With bookings likely to be highly sought after, potential travellers are encouraged to plan ahead to secure an unforgettable journey infused with French flair. IOL
India.com
28-04-2025
- Business
- India.com
World's oldest airline that is still operational was launched before World War II, the name is..., not Air India
World's oldest airline was started after World War I (Representational AI Image) We have heard about bibliophile, cinephile, ever heard about aerophile? While the word is self-explanatory, it is indicative of someone who loves aviation, flying, knowing about aviation history etc. Aeroplanes are fascinating. From its physical dynamics to its history. Have you every wondered about the first aircraft ever built? Or the oldest airline? The former was built by Wright Brothers but the latter still exists. World's oldest airplane that is still up and flying belongs from Netherlands. It is called the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. About the Oldest Airline That is Still Operational KLM Airlines was established in 1919 and was named after a Dutch operator Koninklijke Luchtvaartmaatschappij. It started One year after the first world war culminated. It operates scheduled passenger and cargo services both in over 150 destination across the world. Ever since the inception of this company, reportedly by eight businessmen, it has seen its share of ups and downs. The havoc caused by the second world war to boom of the jet plane era and evolution of the entire aviation sector be it with financial instability or volatility. However, since 1919, KLM has weathered the storms. Later it was acquired by Air France to run Air France KLM Group. KLM is a partner in the SkyTeam Alliance, which offers passengers even more possibilities, jointly serving 1,063 destinations in 173 countries, as per the official website. In 2024, KLM will fly to 156 destinations, 92 in Europe and 64 intercontinental. Over the year, the company has seen job cuts, faced financial turbulence but emerged out of it all. List of Oldest Operating Airlines Not just KLM, but there are several other airlines that have created their legacy of the decades. British Airlines, Qantas were also established around the same time as KLM. While there were several other airlines emerging in different nation, only one Indian airline dates back to the 1930s. Air India was established in 1932 as Air Tata. By the late 1940s it was offering international flights to cities including London, Cairo and Nairobi and today serves over 100 international destinations.
