KLM to continue serving Philippines, renews its permit

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, which operates flights to a number of destinations worldwide, was planning to renew its permit to fly to the Philippines. The airline had recently applied with the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for renewal of its foreign air carrier’s permit (FACP). The good news is that it now has the necessary permission.

The airline had taken this decision barely months after the European Union (EU) removed Philippines from its blacklist. The EU had restricted air operations between Philippines and the Europe owing to safety concerns. This move had created a noise in the aviation sector.

However, the CAB believes it is normal for a foreign airline to apply for a renewal. Usually foreign carriers get their renewals every five years. Passengers will now be able to fly on KLM tickets to the once-blacklisted Philippines from Europe.

In fact, KLM is the only European airline operating direct flights to Manila. It has been serving the capital city for the past 61 years. It however, discontinued nonstop service between Manila and Amsterdam in March 2012. Instead, it continues to connect Manila with Amsterdam daily via Taipei.

At present KLM offers flights to 133 destinations in 69 countries across all continents. It operates out of its hub at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

It serves as the flagship carrier of the Netherlands and is the oldest airline in the world operating under its original name. It merged with another premier European airline Air France in May 2004. The new Air France-KLM headquarters are at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. The Air France-KLM group is a member of SkyTeam alliance.