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KLM - Centenary
KLM - Centenary
We’ve covered British Airways’ 100th anniversary campaigns in previous issues, but BA of course isn’t the only airline to celebrate 100 years of service in 2019. It’s also the centenary of KLM.
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And unlike British Airways, which went through several name changes and incarnations (Imperial Airways, BOAC etc), KLM points out that it’s the oldest international airline still operating under its original name.
To celebrate the centenary, KLM staged an event in Amsterdam, The “KLM Experience”, where guests were treated to an overview of KLM’s past, present and future. This included an in-depth look at KLM’s development over the decades and the role it played in international civil aviation.
At the event, KLM unveiled a new Delftware miniature house. Since the 1950s, KLM has presented specially designed Delftware miniature houses to World Business Class passengers on intercontinental flights. The houses are replicas of monumental buildings throughout the Netherlands.
This year’s miniature is a replica of Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, the home of King Willem-Alexander and his family.
Brand film
At the same time, KLM released a short online video telling the story of three generations of the same family who worked with KLM from the early days to the present.
The first two featured women are inspired to fly and become flight attendants. The film closes with the granddaughter of the original woman, who ends up in the cockpit of a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner.
The film tracks KLM’s evolution from 1919 to the present day and features classic airplanes such as the Fokker F.II in 1934, the Douglas DC-4 in 1949, Boeing 747 in 1975 and ending with the brand-new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. All are brought to life with the uniforms, props and details from each decade.
In-flight magazine for kids
Another element of the 100th anniversary celebrations was an in-flight magazine for kids. KLM joined forces with Hearst Create and popular science magazine Quest, to create the Holland Herald Junior magazine.
Among other things, the Holland Herald Junior contains a report about flamingo Bob on Curacao, the most interesting facts and must-knows about a KLM plane, a robot quiz and an interview with a real pilot.
