KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

KLM, legally Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V., stands as the flag carrier of the Netherlands and holds the prestigious title of the world's oldest airline still operating under its original name. Founded on October 7, 1919, by Albert Plesman and a group of Dutch businessmen, the airline was granted its 'Royal' predicate by Queen Wilhelmina even before its first flight. From its inaugural route between London and Amsterdam in 1920, KLM expanded into a global network, pioneering long-haul routes to the Dutch East Indies and later becoming the first European airline to cross the North Atlantic to New York.

In 2004, KLM entered a significant new era by merging with Air France to form the Air France-KLM Group. Despite this merger, KLM maintains its distinct brand identity, operational headquarters in Amstelveen, and its primary global hub at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The airline remains a central pillar of Dutch aviation, managing a vast fleet and subsidiaries like Transavia and Martinair.

As of the mid-2020s, the ownership structure of its parent holding company, Air France-KLM, reflects a strategic balance between private and state interests, with the French and Dutch governments both holding significant stakes. This ensures that while KLM operates as a part of a multinational group, its historical and cultural ties to the Netherlands remain prioritized and protected.