KLM Royal Dutch Airlines on the 29th of June 2019, marked the 100th day before its 100th anniversary taking place on 7 October this year with a festive event at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, where it announced its intention to join hands for the future of aviation.

Today, in an open letter, widely published, KLM invited all industry stakeholders to join hands in pursuit of a more sustainable future for aviation, under the banner “Fly Responsibly”.

On 7 October, KLM will become the world’s first airline still operating under its original name to mark its 100th anniversary. KLM has reached this auspicious milestone because it is committed to seizing opportunities, accepting challenges, connecting with partners and embracing new technology.

This special moment 100 days before KLM 100th anniversary was planned to coincide with the arrival of KLM’S first Boeing 787-10 dreamliner. While having already 13 B787-9 dreamliners in operation, KLM now starts adding B787-10’s, growing to a total of 28 dreamliners. The fleet renewal program is an important element to achieve the ambitious sustainability targets.

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The arrival of this aircraft from the Boeing factory in the USA is facing some small delays. It’s expected though to arrive in the next few days. The delivery process sometimes runs into minor issues or other small holdups which is the case now.

Pieter Elbers, President and CEO of KLM comments: “Over the past hundred years, KLM’S entrepreneurial spirit and quest for innovation have played a pioneering role in the aviation industry. Our centenary is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to our ambition: to become the most customer-centric, innovative, and efficient European network carrier with a deep-rooted determination to address the challenges that lie ahead.

“Starting today, we will reach out and share our best practices and tools, all we have learned about sustainability, with all our competitors. We value competition, but not when it comes to the sustainable development of aviation. Starting today, we will offer all airlines our CO2ZERO carbon compensation programme free of charge and free of KLM branding. And in return, we invite others to join us and share their best practices for the benefit of a more sustainable future.”

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

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