Amstelveen – 2008-30-12

The coming year will be a special one for KLM. On 7 October 2009, it will have been 90 years since KLM was first founded. This makes KLM the oldest airline in the world still operating under its original name. On 1 January, KLM will ring in the New Year with a festive flight — its Celebration Flight.

The flight will be operated over the Netherlands' twelve provinces, weather permitting*. 'KLM is proud of its Dutch heritage,' KLM CEO Peter Hartman said. ‘This is why we're starting off our anniversary year with a Celebration Flight involving people from all the provinces of the Netherlands’.

The public will be involved in the event in the form of a photography contest. KLM is inviting everyone to take pictures of the Celebration Flight from a recognizable point in the country. KLM will award the makers of the twelve best photographs with two tickets to an intercontinental destination.

The passengers on board will include KLM staff, business relations, and a group, 90 in all, of sick children and staff from the ‘High-flyer Foundation’ (Stichting Hoogvliegers). The foundation’s aim is to enable sick children to fly without making an issue of their illnesses.

Throughout the year, KLM will be announcing new and different anniversary activities. With the help of these events, the airline will look back on its 90-year history, and it will look ahead as well. More activities will follow throughout the year to be followed via www.klm.nl/dereis.

*The route and fleet will be announced tomorrow, December 31.

For more information:
KLM Media Relations, Ellen van Ginkel, tel.: +31(0)20 649 4545
www.klm.nl/dereis
'High-flyer' Foundation: www.stichtinghoogvliegers.nl (Dutch only)

AMS/DR/EvGi