Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM)

In 1919, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines was founded. KLM is Dutch for Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (literally: Royal Aviation Company). KLM is the oldest airline in the world. It also gives its name to the oldest international scheduled service operated by any airline under the same name. In 1920, made its first scheduled flights between Amsterdam and London - service that it continues to provide to the very present. In that first year - when flying was still very special - KLM transported 345 passengers and 25,000 kilos of mail and cargo. That is very different today. On a single Boeing 747 flight, KLM can carry more than 400 passengers and 20,000 kilos of cargo (including mail). Also, for the sake of comparison, in 2007, KLM carried 22 million passengers and 650 million kilos of cargo. From the very start, KLM spread its wings and grew rapidly. In 1924, the first KLM plane departed for Indonesia (which was a Dutch colony) and to its capital, Batavia - now called Jakarta. Unlike now, it was an adventurous trip which took weeks to complete. These days, the trip takes about 15 hours! The Amsterdam-Batavia route became part of KLM's regular scheduled service in 1929. In 1934, KLM crossed the Atlantic Ocean for the first time, to Curacao. Following the Second World War, in 1946, KLM was the first European airline to start scheduled service across the ocean to New York.

(above) the 'Royal Dutch Airlines' counter in the main booking hall at Croydon early 1930's.

(above) a KLM Fokker on the old Waddon Aerodrome. 1925

(above) a Royal Dutch 'Fokker F8' coming in to land in 1931

(above) a KLM Fokker F8.

(below) a 'Fokker' of KLM on the Amsterdam route.

(below) Royal Dutch

(above and below) early 1930's, on the tarmac apron Fokker's of the Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM). (below) an Imperial Airways (Hengist) airliner is also being loaded.

(below) an early KLM.

(above and below) KLM 'Fokker F36'. 1935.

(below) New delivery for KLM. Douglas DC2.1936

(above and below) 1936. DC2 of KLM.

(above) KLM label of 1938

(below) KLM envelope 1937

(above) 'Stearman-Hammond Y-150-S'. November 1937

(above) a Royal Dutch 'Douglas DC2' preparing for take-off. (below) picture of a 'DC3' of the Royal Dutch Airlines. Unfortunately this one was shot down by the Germans in June 1940.

(below) DC3's of KLM in 1936

(below) Two KLM DC3's. 1939

(above) 'Douglas DC2'. PH-AKH. 'Haan'. 1937. the first to be delivered to KLM.

(above and below) KLM 'Douglas DC2'

(above) KLM. DC2 and an Air France Wibault.