Inaugural KLM flight to Brazilian Fortaleza

As of 3 May 2018, KLM will be flying directly to the Brazilian destination of Fortaleza. The inaugural flight departed from Schiphol bound for the coastal city in northeast Brazil. KLM will operate three flights a week* to this new destination from Amsterdam, using Airbus A330-200 equipment and offering 268 seats a flight. Over and above Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Fortaleza is now KLM’s third destination in Brazil.

A brief opening ceremony took place at the departure gate at Schiphol, attended amongst others by the Brazilian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Regina Cordeiro Dunlop, Vice Governor of Ceara state, Maria Izolda Cela de Arruda Coelho, and Schiphol CEO, Dick Benschop.

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Fortaleza is the third destination in Brazil to which KLM operates a direct service. This strengthens KLM’s position as the most important European carrier operating in the Brazilian market, for both business traveland leisure. In addition to daily services to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, this thrice weekly service to Fortaleza brings to 17 KLM’s total weekly frequency to Brazil. Fortaleza is strategically placed as an entry point to Europe and important regions in Brazil. The partnership with GOL opens up a new strategic hub, which cements the connection between Amsterdam and Brazil. KLM already served 24 destinations in Brazil in a codeshare with GOL on flights departing from Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. With all the other expansions in South America over the last few years, this marks an important step in KLM and AFKL’s strategy in South America.

Pieter Elbers - KLM President & CEO

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Strategic cooperation with GOL
Fortaleza was chosen as KLM’s third destination partly due to the cooperative relationship already in place with Brazilian carrier GOL. GOL’s strategic location, economic and tourist development, and new air links to major cities in northern and north-eastern Brazil make Fortaleza an attractive destination for KLM. KLM’s partner Air France will also be operating flights from Paris to Fortaleza as of today.

Three weekly flights using Airbus A330-200 equipment featuring the new World Business Class
The flights on Thursdays and Saturdays will be operated using Airbus A330-200 equipment with 18 seats in Business Class, 35 seats in Economy Comfort and 215 seats in Economy Class. A third weekly flight will be added on Mondays as of 2 July 2018.

• Flight KL 707 will depart from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol at 12:50 hours and arrive at 17:20 hours in Fortaleza.
• Flight KL 708 will depart from Fortaleza at 19:50 hours and arrive back in Amsterdam at 10:00 hours the following day.

KLM is currently equipping all its Airbus aircraft with a new interior in World Business Class, and the Economy Class is being renewed in a number of Airbus A330-200 aircraft. By November 2018, KLM’s World Business Class will boast only full-flat seats to its intercontinental destinations.

KLM currently serves two other Brazilian destinations: seven times a week to both Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

* From May to the start of July 2018 twice a week and from 2 July onwards, adding a third weekly flight.