KLM suspends long-haul flights

The Dutch airline KLM will suspend all its intercontinental flights and some European routes from Friday now that the Netherlands requires a rapid coronavirus test before entry.

On Wednesday, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced additional measures in the fight against the coronavirus, including a temporary ban on flights to the United Kingdom, South Africa and South American countries, pending a new quarantine law.

Travellers must also undergo a rapid test before travelling to the Netherlands, followed by a standard PCR test on arrival, which Rutte called “a double lock on the door.”

However, KLM sees many problems with this mandatory rapid test policy, stating that it is now impossible to operate intercontinental flights. All the more so as staff must also be tested in this way.

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“We cannot run the risk of our staff being stranded somewhere. This is why we are stopping all intercontinental flights from Friday and all flights to European destinations where crew members have to spend the night,” the company said.

This also applies to cargo flights and repatriation flights, according to the airline.