Mr. Pieter Elbers, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) visited Dubai Expo on 23rd of January and co-hosted a reception at the Netherlands’ pavilion, attended by senior leaders from within the local Netherlands’ diplomatic and business community and the members of Dutch Sustainability group (DSG) and VIP guests.

Mr. Elbers also visited the regional headquarters of Air France KLM at Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZA), spent time with his team based in Dubai and signed the first NDC contract in the Middle East region with SATGURU group.*

In addition, he visited Dubai Cargo Village, met with Air France KLM Cargo team and some VIP clients. Mr. Elbers signed another 2 SAF contracts- Sustainable Aviation Fuel- with “Freight Care Aviation Services Limited”” and “Expo Airline Management”.

In appreciation of KLM’s 50 years of operation to Dubai and the continuous local support received throughout these years, Pieter Elbers also had the honour of meeting, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Airports and some very high level decision makers in the airline industry and Dutch diplomats.

Welcoming guests to the reception at the Netherlands pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, Mr. Pieter Elbers, KLM President & CEO, said: “The year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of KLM’s first passenger service to Dubai. An impressive milestone. All the more reason to visit Dubai as the UAE continues to celebrate its ‘Year of the 50th’ and hosts the Expo 2020 Dubai. There is a strong and growing relationship between the UAE and the Netherlands, supported by KLM and reflected in the Netherlands pavilion. Dubai and the UAE are global hubs for international business, aviation and hospitality and I have been deeply impressed by the scale and quality of the Expo. The event is a very ambitious showcase for innovation and sustainability and this is a global mission that KLM fully shares and supports, including here in the Middle East.”

KLM started operating services to Dubai on April 5, 1972 with a once-a-week connection via Athens and Dhahran, operating an extended Douglas DC-8 jet aircraft.

The KLM Corporate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Programme was launched in 2012 and now includes 16 partners, including ABN AMRO, Royal Schiphol Group and Arcadis. Through the programme, KLM ensures that the fuel it buys is manufactured sustainably, using raw materials that do not cause deforestation, impede food production or harm the environment in any other way. KLM is also part of the Clean Skies for Tomorrow (CST) coalition, which was established within the World Economic Forum to ensure the availability of sufficient SAF to be able to fly CO2-neutral by the middle of this century. In addition to KLM, the coalition consists of other leading players in the airline industry such as Airbus Group, the Boeing Company, Schiphol, Neste, Shell, SkyNRG and Heathrow Airport.

Recently, KLM has announced that it will start adding 0.5% Sustainable Aviation Fuel for flights departing from Amsterdam. In addition, KLM will offer customers the option of purchasing an extra amount of SAF. In this manner, KLM aims to stimulate the market for SAF. The face of travel is set to change in the future and SAF will play an essential role in this regard. In addition to fleet renewal and further innovation within the company and sector, KLM is committed to bringing about an energy transition.  

About Air France-KLM 

A global player with a strong European base, the Air France-KLM Group’s main areas of business are passenger transport, cargo transport and aeronautical maintenance.

Air France-KLM is a leading airline Group in terms of international traffic on departure from Europe. It offers its customers access to a worldwide network, covering over 300 destinations thanks to Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Transavia, mainly from its hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol. Its Flying Blue frequent flyer programme is one of the leaders in Europe with over 17 million members.

Together with its partners Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic, Air France-KLM operates the largest transatlantic joint venture, with more than 340 daily flights.

Air France-KLM is also a member of the SkyTeam, the alliance dedicated to providing passengers with a more seamless travel experience at every step of their journey 19 member airlines working together across an extensive global network. 

Recognised for 15 years as an industry leader in sustainable development, the Air France-KLM Group is determined to accelerate the transition to more sustainable aviation. Since 2003, the Air France-KLM Group has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact. The aim is to make a significant contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals in connection with the Group’s activities.

Send us your press releases to pressrelease.zawya@refinitiv.com

© Press Release 2022

Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release.

The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages.