KLM grows capacity to South America

KLMKoninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (Royal Aviation Company) the flag carrier of the Netherlands and a good example of how acronyms can aid simple discourse. is to step up capacity on its routes from Amsterdam to South America – starting from next month.

The Dutch carrier will add frequencies to Buenos Aires in Argentina, Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro and Ecuador.

KLM will be adding 20% capacity to Buenos Aires from March 25 when it starts using a larger aircraft on some flights with a further increase in seats from July. It will also add a fourth weekly flight to the Argentine capital from October 28 which will operate on Saturdays.

The airline will also introduce a fourth weekly frequency to Rio from October 28 with the addition of Sunday flights. While KLM’s summer schedule to Ecuador will include an extra flight on Tuesday bringing the total to four a week on the Amsterdam-Quito-Guayaquil route.

Henri Hourcade, UK and Ireland general manager for Air France/KLM, said: ‘KLM has a long association with South America, and for many years has been one of the world’s leading airlines servicing this vast continent. 

“Our new schedules for summer and winter 2012, with better frequencies, higher capacity and very competitive fares, will ensure that KLM cements its foothold in the region and remains the default carrier to South America’s emerging markets from the UK regions.”