Het network van de partners telt zeven hubs - vijf in de VS en twee in Europa - en bestaat uit routes tussen Canada, de Verenigde Staten, Mexico en Europa.

In het tienjarig bestaan werd een aantal mijlpalen bereikt:

• meer dan 270 trans-Atlantische vluchten per dag (38 meer dan 10 jaar geleden);
• eenvoudige verbindingen tussen Noord-Amerika en Europa, dankzij hub-to-hub vluchten zoals Detroit-Parijs, Atlanta-Amsterdam met een ruime keuze aan doorverbindingen. Het partnership biedt ook nieuwe verbindingen tussen Amerikaanse en Europese steden inclusief de service, bijvoorbeeld Indianapolis, Raleigh/Durham en Dallas-Fort-Worth en Paris en Tampa-Amsterdam;
• het grootste airport lounge netwerk van Noord-Amerika en Europa;
• mogelijkheden om met het frequent flyer programma van alle partners miles te verdienen en te profiteren van veel voordelen, inclusief flight upgrades;
• samen hebben de partners meer dan 20% meer klanten dan 10 jaar geleden.

• Air France-KLM will acquire Virgin Group’s 31% stake in Virgin Atlantic for £220 million.
• Delta and China Eastern will each acquire a 10% stake in Air France-KLM within the framework of reserved capital increases totalling €751 million.

The strategic, commercial and equity investment of these partnerships will position Air France-KLM as the European pillar of the leading global airline network.

All of these agreements will enable Air France-KLM to offer its customers an expanded network and to capitalize on the pooling of extensive distribution networks. As an integral part of the Trust Together strategic project, these partnerships will support the Group’s profitable growth and enable Air France-KLM to offer its customers an unparalleled proposition. 

At the heart of the most global partnership in the airline industry

The combination of the existing joint ventures between firstly Air France-KLM, Delta and Alitalia, and secondly between Delta and Virgin Atlantic, within a single joint-venture marks the expansion and reinforcement of one of the most advanced partnership models in the airline industry. This joint venture will enable the Group* to:

• Offer customers an unrivaled proposition on transatlantic routes.
• Drive the capacity growth of the partners.
• Create an associate partner status enabling the inclusion of other players.
• Extend a partnership over a 15-year period.
• Generate significant annual synergies thanks to a new code share to/from London, sales coordination, the extended partnership and cost savings.

The creation of this joint-venture will thus consolidate Air France-KLM’s leadership position in the North-American and European markets with the largest airline network articulated around twelve powerful hubs on both sides of the Atlantic: Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, Los Angeles, London Heathrow, Minneapolis-St Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-CDG, Salt Lake City and Seattle. 

A strengthened partnership with China Eastern

In parallel, Air France-KLM and China Eastern will step up their commercial cooperation and reinforce their partnership within the framework of the existing joint venture, to:

• Secure and reinforce Air France-KLM’s presence in the Chinese market thanks to a long-term partnership.
• Give Air France-KLM a European leadership position on Shanghai, the main business market in China.
• Improve the services for our customers.
• Enable increased cooperation in terms of the network, pricing and operational synergies.

These capital increases will enable an improvement in Air France-KLM’s financial structure, accelerate the reduction in its net debt and finance the purchase of the stake in Virgin Atlantic.

*Subject to the signing of the final agreements and the approval of the relevant regulatory authorities.

Planned calendar for the transaction:

• 4th September 2017: Extraordinary Shareholders’ Meeting to approve the capital increases and the appointment of the new members of the Board of Directors (to take place on closure of the reserved capital increases)
• Once the regulatory approvals are obtained: Realization of the reserved capital increases.

Read Delta’s press release: www.delta.com
Read Virgin Atlantic’s press release: www.virginatlantic.com

Xiamen Airlines en KLM zijn ook overeengekomen hun samenwerking uit te breiden door meer codeshare verbindingen toe te voegen aan hun gezamenlijke netwerken vanuit Amsterdam en Xiamen. Hierdoor kunnen KLM en Xiamen Airlines meer en betere vliegopties bieden aan hun klanten op hun gezamenlijke netwerk.

Xiamen Airlines startte haar directe vluchten tussen Xiamen en Amsterdam in de zomer van 2015, waarbij KLM al sinds 2011 opereert tussen Amsterdam en Xiamen. Samen zijn KLM en Xiamen Airlines goed voor zes vluchten per week tussen hun afzonderlijke hubs.

Xiamen Airlines en KLM streven er naar om elkaars catering service te gebruiken en personeel uit te wisselen om zo van elkaar te leren en de samenwerking nog effectiever te maken.