Amstelveen – 2005-05-07

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will begin operating direct scheduled services between Amsterdam and Entebbe in Uganda at the start of the 2005/06 winter schedule. Effective November 1, 2005, flight KL561/562 will be operated thrice weekly, on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, using Boeing 767-300ER equipment. KLM's decision was prompted by Uganda's booming economy and the growing demand for passenger services to and from this East African country. Entebbe is Uganda's business center. The city is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria, close to the Ugandan capital, Kampala.

Through code-sharing with Kenya Airways, KLM offers twice daily services to Entebbe via the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. This flight option will remain available to passengers after KLM launches its direct services. KLM and Kenya Airways will offer a total of 14 weekly services between Amsterdam and Entebbe from November 1; three direct services, plus 11 weekly flights via Nairobi.

The new Amsterdam-Entebbe route offers passengers a unique new nonstop service within the Air France-KLM network. The new flights, in combination with the successful code-sharing services already offered by KLM and Kenya Airways, will further strengthen Air France-KLM's presence on the African continent.

Air France operates a weekly freighter service between Paris and Entebbe via Nairobi.

Kenya Airways is currently preparing to join the SkyTeam alliance as an associate airline. KLM has been a member of SkyTeam since September 2004. Other alliance members include AeroMéxico, Air France, Alitalia, Continental Airlines, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, and Northwest Airlines.

Please check www.klm.com and reservation systems for further details on the new KLM route between Amsterdam and Entebbe.

For more information:
KLM Media Relations, Bart Koster, + 31 20 649 45 45.
KLM photo material: http://www.presslink.nl/klm/