KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is marking the 75th anniversary of its inaugural flight from Amsterdam to Montreal.
On 29MAY, 1949, a KLM crew welcomed the first pax on board a Lockheed Constellation 749 named 'Batavia' and registered as PH-TDB. It was the first commercial connection between Canada and mainland Europe.
The Amsterdam-Montreal flight, which included refuelling stops at Prestwick and Gander, took just over 20 hours to complete. From Montreal, the plane continued to Curaçao, an island in the Dutch West Indies, with a technical stopover in Havana.
At that time, KLM had 400 pilots, including 50 Canadians. Two of the pilots on the inaugural flight were from Ontario: 26-year-old Richard John Rose and 37-year-old William Lesauvage.
Honorary receptions took place at the Ritz Carlton, the Windsor Hotel, and Montreal City Hall. In their speeches, Dutch guests emphasized the privileged relationship between the Netherlands and Canada since 1945 and expressed their gratitude to the Canadian government and soldiers for welcoming the royal family to Ottawa and contributing to the liberation of the Netherlands during World War II.
"The introduction of this service between Montreal and Amsterdam paved the way for KLM's presence in Canada and contributed to strengthening diplomatic and commercial ties between the two countries," said Jean-Eudes de La Bretèche, GM of Air France KLM Canada.
"With 75 years of presence, Canada holds a special place in KLM's history and network.
"We are proud to have continued this expansion, operating up to 39 weekly flights to our 5 Canadian destinations this summer: Montreal (7), Toronto (14), Vancouver (7), Calgary (7), and Edmonton (4)."
The airline noted that even before the inauguration of the Amsterdam-Montreal route, KLM had landed planes at Dorval, transporting Dutch families.
"Chartered flights had been organized to allow these families to immigrate and start a new life in Canada, especially in Ontario and the western provinces."
As the world’s oldest airline, KLM said it has aimed to enhance the meaningfulness of one’s personal travel experience for the last 100+ years, "whether it's an upgrade, a roomier seat, onboard service, or the attentive care of the crew."
Earlier this year, KLM launched a new platform as travel demand increases and Canadians seek more meaningful travel experiences.
The airline said "Travel Well" aims to inspire and enable travellers to create more meaningful connections at every stage of their journey.
KLM also unveiled a multi-year partnership with the Toronto Football Club (TFC) as the team's official international airline this year.
In celebration of 50 years of presence in Toronto, "This collaboration marks a significant step forward in KLM's commitment to Ontario," KLM stated in a press release.
