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A flight tax for transfer passengers is difficult for KLM. Every long-distance destination is important to the airline.
With the possible introduction of the flight tax for connecting travelers, the hub function for Schiphol and KLM may come under pressure. Passengers are expected to bypass the airport and prefer other hubs, including Paris Charles de Gaulle or Frankfurt. As a result, KLM will not only lose transfer passengers, but possibly also long-distance flights. It is expected that the reduction in the number of routes will mean that Dutch people will have to travel five hours longer. According to Hugo Thomassen of Airport Coordination Netherlands (ACNL), the released slots will simply be distributed among the airlines.
Destinations worth the same
Although some members of the House of Representatives previously wondered why a destination such as Quito, Ecuador, is important to KLM, the airline emphasizes that every city adds value. ‘Of course there are transfers on board a flight to Quito, but that flight is also important for Dutch business. More than 120 companies have used the direct flight to Quito in the past year,” explains Seth van Straten, director of KLM’s mainport strategy. The Telegraph.
Impact on short flights
If the transfer tax for connecting travelers is continued, this will not only affect long-haul flights, but also shorter ones. ‘The network is not linear. If I take one flight out, the rest changes immediately. It’s a pain in the ass. Even adjusting a departure time has an immediate major effect on the rest of the network. Everything is connected,” says Van Straten.
