KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is celebrating a landmark 40 years of partnership with Newcastle Airport this week.
The airline has played a pivotal role in connecting the North East to the world and has been a key driver for investment and growth in the region.
Starting in October 1984, KLM operated one flight every weekday between Newcastle and Amsterdam.
Today, the airline operates up to five daily flights to the Netherlands’ capital from the award-winning Airport; a route that is extremely popular with both leisure and business passengers, as well as those visiting friends and relatives.
The connectivity the Airport and its airline partners such as KLM provide to the North East is vital to the region’s economy – helping to attract inward investment, boosting international exports and increasing inbound tourism.
Since 2021, over 7,000 jobs have been created in the region thanks to foreign direct investment and last year, the North East welcomed 69 million visitors which contributed £6.1 billion to the region’s economy.
Over the last 12 months more than 347,000 passengers have travelled through the Airport with KLM and since the start of 2024 over 2,700 companies with a corporate contract or members of their loyalty programme, Flying Blue, have flown from Newcastle across KLM’s network.
The service not only provides passengers with a direct connection to Amsterdam, a city famous for its picturesque canals, historic architecture and world-famous landmarks – but also 155 worldwide destinations including Budapest, Copenhagen, Munich, Bangkok, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Las Vegas via the hub.
Combined with KLM’s group Partner, Air France, both airlines provide passengers flying from Newcastle Airport access to 227 worldwide destinations.
Leon McQuaid, Director of Aviation Development at Newcastle Airport, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating this fantastic milestone with KLM, its passengers and business partners this week.
“We would like to thank the airline for its significant contribution to the growth of the Airport and for the part it has played in connecting the region to the world over the past 40 years – supporting millions of journeys out of, and into the region.
“Celebrating our past partnership is important, but so is looking to the future and we are very much looking forward to working together for the next 40 years!”
Jerome Salemi, KLM General Manager for the UK and Ireland, said: “We are very proud to be celebrating such a milestone with Newcastle Airport. For the last 40 years, KLM has been connecting local Newcastle leisure travelers and businesses to the world via Amsterdam.
“Newcastle Airport holds a significant place as one of our 17 departure points across the UK and we look forward to continuing this great relationship with the Airport and the local community from the North East for years to come.”
Sarah Green, Chief Executive, NewcastleGateshead Initiative (Lead delivery organisation for Destination North East England) said: “40 years is such a significant milestone and a fitting time to celebrate KLM’s investment into our regional economy – from connecting millions of business and leisure visitors from more than 150 destinations to creating jobs right across the supply chain.
“Together as a region we have a plan to double the value of our visitor economy in parallel with the North East Combined Authority’s trailblazing devolution deal. Our partnership with Newcastle Airport and their airlines underpins this ambitious growth strategy.
“Anyone who has visited knows the North East England is a fantastic place to visit, offering unrivalled landscapes, world-class cultural experiences and the very best welcome.
“Our award-winning Airport remains one of the best international gateways (in the world) and we look forward to continuing our work with both the Airport and KLM to attract more inbound visitors to experience the very best our region has to offer.”
To mark the celebration, some of KLM’s most long-standing passengers and business partners were welcomed by the airline to an exclusive wine tasting event at the Baltic on Gateshead’s Quayside last night and the Millennium Bridge was illuminated.