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KLM Returns to Barbados with Direct Flights to and from Amsterdam
This KLM route offers Barbadians and visitors exceptional value and convenient access to an extensive network of 161 destinations: 92 within Europe and 69 intercontinental. KLM will operate three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays using its state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, equipped with 30 seats in Business, 21 seats in Premium Comfort and 224 seats in Economy. The first return flight from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) touched down at Grantley Adams International Airport on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, after a three-year hiatus. The service departed Amsterdam at 09:40 a.m. and arrived in Bridgetown at 1:40 p.m. local time, before continuing onward to Georgetown, Guyana. Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), Andrea Franklin, highlighted the significance of the service. “Europe remains a key market for us, and with these affordable prices, European visitors gain easier access to Barbados’ renowned hospitality and vibrant culture. Barbadians can now take advantage of seamless connections to iconic destinations around the world. We are thrilled to see KLM’s blue and white return to our runway, and we thank our partners for making this possible,” Franklin said. A Milestone for Tourism and Connectivity According to the Barbados Statistical Service, as of September 2025, over half a million visitors have arrived on the island, with European travellers accounting for 22,054 of that figure. Franklin said this number is a testament to Barbados’ enduring appeal. “This new KLM service is more than just a flight; it is a vital link that opens up a world of opportunity for Barbados and our people,” Franklin added. KLM’s direct flights will operate from October 2025 to March 26, 2026, offering travellers the ideal window to plan their European adventure or Caribbean escape. Director of the BTMI’s Europe office, Tracy Jones, said the flight had been eagerly anticipated by the BTMI’s partners and travellers across Europe. “This renewed connection not only reflects strong demand for Barbados as a destination but also strengthens our ability to welcome more European visitors to experience all that our island has to offer.” Jones added, “Whether for leisure, education, or business, this service provides Barbadians with an affordable and convenient way to explore Europe. At the same time, it brings Europe even closer to Barbados, supporting our vision of being the English-speaking Caribbean’s leading travel hub.” Commercial Director, Caribbean Establishment, Air France KLM, Jeremy Baumann, said they are excited to reconnect Barbados with Amsterdam and the wider KLM network. “For 106 years, KLM has been connecting people and cultures around the world. This new route not only offers travellers convenient access to the extensive worldwide KLM-network, but also strengthens business ties, tourism, and cultural exchange between our regions—values at the very heart of KLM. Our commitment to Barbados is a testament to the enduring partnership we share and our confidence in the island’s future as a premier destination.”
IndiGo and KLM Expand Codeshare Agreement
IndiGo, India’s preferred airline, has announced extension of its codeshare agreement with KLM - the flag carrier of the Netherlands, offering enhanced connectivity to IndiGo customers across Europe and the UK on KLM’s network. The agreement will allow IndiGo to place its code on KLM operated routes to 30 destinations across these regions, via Amsterdam. IndiGo has recently commenced its nonstop, long-haul operations from Mumbai to Amsterdam using its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, damp-leased from Norse Atlantic Airlines. This agreement builds upon the Memorandum of Understanding between IndiGo, Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic, signed during the 81st IATA AGM in June 2025. The airline group had announced an industry-leading partnership to offer seamless connectivity options across North America, the UK, Europe, India and beyond, that will not only help meet the rising demand for international travel but also make travel more convenient and hassle-free. In 2022, IndiGo and KLM finalized a codeshare partnership providing KLM customers with access to 24 destinations on IndiGo’s network. Through this extended cooperation, IndiGo will be able to expand its reach to 30 destinations across Europe and the UK including, but not limited to, Paris, Berlin, Geneva, Madrid, Brussels, London, Helsinki, Oslo, Prague and Stockholm. Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, said, “At IndiGo, we are committed to offering seamless global connectivity to our customers as part of our ambitious internationalisation strategy. We are delighted to deepen our partnership with KLM, providing our customers with greater convenience when traveling across Europe and the UK through Schiphol airport, one of the biggest European hubs. We are confident that our customers will value and benefit from the seamless connectivity offered through the vast combined networks of IndiGo and KLM. This collaboration aligns with our vision of giving wings to the nation and fostering more opportunities for boosting trade and tourism between India, Europe and rest of the world.” Marjan Rintel, CEO of KLM, said, “We are pleased to take the next step in our collaboration with IndiGo by expanding our codeshare agreement. This allows travellers easier connections between India and Europe, including the UK, via our hub in Amsterdam, and gives IndiGo customers access to the extensive network KLM has to offer. This expansion further strengthens the ties between our regions and connects people and opportunities across continents offering them more choice and flexibility.” Customers can now book their travel itineraries across Europe and the UK on IndiGo’s website or mobile application starting August 01, 2025, for travel from August 11, 2025 (subject to regulatory approvals). Along with an integrated travel itinerary, customers will also enjoy through check-in of baggage among other benefits.
Accenture and Google Cloud Support Air France-KLM
Accenture and Google Cloud are collaborating with Air France-KLM to establish a cutting-edge generative AI (gen AI) factory. This cloud-based framework provides the technological infrastructure and strategic foundation to scale gen AI across the group, accelerating the identification of high-value use cases and enabling more efficient delivery. It allows Air France-KLM to develop, test, and manage a tailored catalog of pre-evaluated gen AI, agentic, and machine learning models, specifically targeting business areas with the highest potential for transformational impact and measurable returns. Earlier this year, Accenture worked with Air France-KLM to modernize its digital core by migrating existing applications to the cloud, enabling faster, more effective adoption of gen AI solutions. The airline has since deployed a private gen AI assistant and developed retrieval-augmented generation use cases that blend language generation with internal document search, improving response quality for tasks like diagnosing and repairing aircraft damage. This work is now scaling across the organization. Together with Accenture, the company built a gen AI projects factory hosted on Google Cloud, that supports agentic AI capabilities. Leveraging this technological infrastructure, the gen AI factory empowers Air France-KLM to identify high-impact AI use cases, execute them at scale using shared tools and methods, and bring together the right expertise to design, test and operationalize applications across operations. By streamlining the transition from experimentation to enterprise readiness, Air France-KLM can accelerate development cycles by over 35%. The airline group has already seen tangible results across critical business areas, such as ground operations, engineering & maintenance, and customer service. To drive ongoing innovation, Air France-KLM and Accenture established a structured process that helps employees turn real-world challenges into practical generative AI solutions. It starts with identifying a problem, then moves quickly through design, prototyping, testing, and finally scaling successful ideas across the business. A standout example was the co-hosted GenAI Days, where teams learned to use the gen AI factory tools through real use cases, resulting in concrete ideas to cut costs and grow revenue. “This collaboration demonstrates how investing in a robust cloud-powered digital core strengthens organizational resilience and agility. By simplifying complex processes, it positions Air France-KLM to drive competitiveness in an environment of rapid digital acceleration,” said Sabine Bechelani, managing director for Travel and client account lead at Accenture. “By leveraging gen AI, we are not only simplifying the journey for customers but also unlocking significant business value. It’s a powerful example of how technology can drive both operational excellence and strategic differentiation.” "With this collaboration, Air France-KLM and Accenture demonstrate their capacity to imagine and redesign the future of the travel industry with generative AI. We are thrilled to be part of this journey and to bring the best of our cloud and AI technology and expertise to accelerate this business transformation, enhance the group's operations and foster the creation of new experiences for travelers," said Isabelle Fraine, managing director of Google Cloud France. “Leveraging (gen) AI is more than technical innovation—it drives a fundamental business transformation,” declared Julie Pozzi, head of data & AI at Air France-KLM. “Thanks to Accenture and Google Cloud, we aim at leveraging generative AI to reinvent the operational backbone of the airline industry. This collaboration will empower us to anticipate and respond to the evolving travel landscape, delivering a truly personalized and transformative experience for every passenger and every operation.”
Air France–KLM moves to become majority owner in SAS
Air France–KLM announced that it will initiate proceedings to take a majority stake in SAS, marking a new and strategically important chapter for the Scandinavian carrier and a landmark strategic development in the European aviation landscape. “Air France–KLM becoming the majority owner would mark a defining moment for SAS and a strong signal of confidence in the direction we’re heading,” says Anko van der Werff, President & CEO of SAS. “It brings not just stability but will also allow for deeper industrial integration and the full backing of one of the world’s leading airline groups, once regulatory approval has been obtained. Together, we will be better positioned to deliver greater value to our customers, our colleagues, and the wider region.” SAS continues to invest in fleet renewal and network expansion while earning recognition as the most punctual airline in the world. This consolidation supports SAS’ ability to grow more sustainably, enhance customer experience, and reinforce its role in international aviation. “This relationship is grounded in mutual respect, dedication to operational excellence and strong sustainability ambitions. As global interest in Scandinavia continues to grow, we believe this consolidation strengthens SAS’ ability to connect Scandinavia with the world—and the world with Scandinavia—by positioning Copenhagen as our global hub for the region, while continuing to uphold strong and strategic operations in both Oslo and Stockholm,” added Van der Werff. “We remain true to our identity, heritage, and deep customer focus. SAS will continue to be proudly Scandinavian at heart, look and feel.” The decision also reflects a broader industry trend toward consolidation— a step that is essential to ensuring long-term competitiveness for European carriers in an increasingly globalized market.
IndiGo, Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic Announce Partnership
Representative Image IndiGo, Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic have announced plans to build an industry-leading partnership connecting India with Europe and North America, with ambitions to grow to a global scale. India, one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, is at the heart of this collaboration. By linking IndiGo’s extensive domestic network with Delta’s strength in North America and the transatlantic, the extensive reach of Air France-KLM in Europe and North America, and the U.K. and transatlantic presence of Virgin Atlantic, the partnership is poised to offer travelers broader access, smoother journeys, and a more consistent experience across continents. Linking dozens of cities in the United States, Canada, Europe and India, the airlines aim to meet rising demand for international travel while setting new standards for connectivity and cooperation in global aviation. Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, said: “IndiGo has embarked on an ambitious journey to become a global airline by 2030. This partnership represents another important milestone to pursue commercial synergies, operational excellence and innovation. This announcement not only expands our relationship with Air France–KLM and Virgin Atlantic but also marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter as we welcome Delta Airlines as a valued partner. We are particularly excited to start our long-haul expansion from this Summer and connect with our partners’ networks to provide greater access to Europe and North America. This strategic partnership enables a compelling combined customer proposition in the form of comprehensive intercontinental connectivity, seamless experience and great loyalty value. It also lays the groundwork for us to exchange best practices in areas of technology, operational excellence and service delivery.” Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines, said: “This agreement is another example of our commitment to making travel more connected, more inclusive and more accessible. Combining our strengths with those of IndiGo, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic, will enable us to offer unparalleled connectivity and convenience, ensuring that our customers enjoy the highest standards of service and reliability across the globe. We look forward to restarting Delta’s direct service from the U.S. to India in the near future.” Benjamin Smith, CEO of Air France-KLM, said: “We are very glad to extend our existing partnership with IndiGo and to do so alongside our partners Delta and Virgin Atlantic. India is a strategic market for Air France-KLM, where we have a strong and historic presence soon to increase. We look forward to welcoming IndiGo customers on our flights and to play an active role in the country’s connectivity.” Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, said: “In our 25th year of flying to India, we’re delighted to build on our Joint Venture with Delta and Air France-KLM, and our successful codeshare with IndiGo, by going further with this partnership. As IndiGo starts long haul operations, we’ll connect four of the world’s largest economies, enhancing the travel experience for our guests, from greater connectivity and optimized flight times to loyalty benefits.” Connecting Route Networks, 2022 and Beyond IndiGo has had partnerships with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic and with Air France-KLM since 2022. Since then, Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic customers have had access to more than 30 IndiGo points in India. More recently, IndiGo announced the start of service to Europe, which, in addition to expanding the existing partnership with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic transatlantic flights, facilitates a new partnership opportunity between IndiGo and Delta, enabling Indigo’s customers to connect to Delta’s broad transatlantic network. After commercial contracts and regulatory procedures are completed to allow IndiGo to sell partner flights as its own under its own 6E* marketing codes, IndiGo customers will be able to book onward travel on select flights operated by its international partners, making it easier to reach destinations across Europe and North America. These include: KLM flights from Amsterdam to 30 points within Europe Delta and KLM flights from Amsterdam to the United States and Canada Virgin Atlantic flights from Manchester to the United States For its part, KLM’s recently announced new route connecting Amsterdam with Hyderabad offers further opportunity for cooperation with IndiGo. With the route’s launch in September 2025, Air France-KLM will begin selling IndiGo flights to 24 destinations beyond Hyderabad. IndiGo has previously announced that it will enhance its fleet of damp leased B787 to six aircraft later this year and has in place a long-term firm order of 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, with options for 70 more. As these aircraft join IndiGo’s fleet, the airline’s long-haul expansion will enable further and deeper cooperation between IndiGo and Delta, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic in the future. Delta, meanwhile, plans to resume services to India with nonstop flights between Atlanta and Delhi, subject to government approval. The service start date will be announced later. Future Collaboration The MoU also creates a framework for deeper collaboration between the carriers on a bilateral and multilateral basis; contemplates commercial collaboration including network, loyalty, cargo and sales, subject to regulatory approvals; explores areas of non-commercial cooperation including aircraft maintenance, sustainability, training, ground handling; and acknowledges the need to develop advanced collaboration through use of technology to efficiently service joint customers.
Accenture partners with Air France-KLM
Accenture is collaborating with Air France-KLM to transform and migrate the airline group’s existing digital applications to the cloud, moving away from its three proprietary data centers. The transition will enhance all operational functions across the organization, including passenger transport, cargo services and aircraft maintenance. This multi-year initiative aims to provide the airline group with increased agility, adapting the availability of resources in real time to ensure greater business resilience through cloud, data and AI, including generative AI (gen AI). As part of this work, Accenture and Air France-KLM have defined a common operating model with a governance process, allowing Accenture to co-lead the whole initiative. Together, they have established a cloud migration factory that uses predefined processes and reusable templates, enabling the simultaneous migration and transformation of Air France-KLM's existing applications in the cloud. This industrialized approach, combined with strong quality and delivery standards, has already led to the deployment of 350 applications with a high success rate, thereby fulfilling an ambitious delivery roadmap and allowing for a faster time-to-market of the applications. The transformation has made a positive impact on Air France-KLM’s operations by providing increased resilience. This new cloud infrastructure enables the airline group to access information in real time, supporting data-driven decision-making and stronger collaboration. This infrastructure was put to the test on the occasion of a recent sales campaign in France and the Netherlands during which the scalability of the cloud provided quick access to a large number of resources. “Together with Air France-KLM, we are building resilience and new growth opportunities by harnessing the power of cloud and gen AI,” said Sabine Bechelani, managing director for Travel and client account lead at Accenture. “This collaboration underscores our ability to help clients establish the digital core needed to successfully compete in the operationally complex and highly competitive market of air travel. As a result, we are enabling our clients to thrive and innovate with speed, efficiency and access to information.” “This collaboration represents a significant milestone in our ongoing digital transformation,” said Pierre-Olivier Bandet, Executive Vice President Information Systems, Air France-KLM. “By leveraging cloud and AI, we can build more flexible and efficient operations that enhance agility and performance across the organization. Our work with Accenture will help us unlock new opportunities to streamline processes, optimize decision-making, and leverage data to continuously improve the travel experience for millions of customers.”
Rhenus joins Air France KLM Martinair Cargo SAF Programme
Global logistics service provider Rhenus has joined the Air France KLM Martinair Cargo SAF Programme, investing in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to help cut emissions in aviation. The initiative supports the company's sustainability efforts while offering customers the opportunity to reduce their emissions. Rhenus Air & Ocean head of sustainable air freight product development Frank Swart said of the initiative: "SAF is a cornerstone for the lower emissions future of air freight, helping us meet environmental goals while maintaining the efficiency and reliability that our customers rely on. This partnership reflects our dedication to addressing the environmental challenges of aviation through forward-thinking solutions." Taking an active role in aviation sustainability Rhenus’ participation in the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Program launched by Air France KLM Martinair Cargo highlights the duty the company holds towards its customers to champion sustainability in the logistics industry. By investing in SAF, Rhenus not only takes a proactive role in addressing the environmental challenges of aviation but also supports the shift toward greener practices. This commitment reflects the company's dedication to delivering responsible and forward-thinking solutions, contributing to the long-term objective of reducing emissions and ensuring a more sustainable future for its partners and the planet. Making the most of available resources The Air France KLM Martinair Cargo SAF Program enables companies to contribute to the utilization and development of SAF for their shipments, derived from renewable sources such as waste oils and agricultural residues. The voluntary investment in SAF to support Air France KLM Martinair Cargo's efforts to scale its production and usage represents just one of the ways Rhenus drives a broader sustainability agenda. This approach not only reinforces the commitment of Rhenus to reducing emissions but also aligns with its mission to help customers advance their own sustainability goals. Complementing the SAF initiative are services like the Emission Dashboard, which tracks CO2e emissions, and Transport Mode Optimisation, including RHEGREEN: a calculation tool that evaluates aircraft types, fuel consumption, and distances to identify the most efficient options, enabling customers to lower their air freight emissions effectively.
Saudia partners with Air France-KLM
Saudia, the national airline of Saudi Arabia, has entered into a significant partnership with Air France-KLM to boost and localize its Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) operations. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed during a ceremony attended by prominent figures, including President Emmanuel Macron of France, Engr. Engr. Saleh Al-Jasser, Chairman of Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation, joined by Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, were present at the event.. The agreement was officially inked by Capt. Capt. The agreement was signed by Capt. The Managing Director of Saudia Technic, Fahd Cynndy, and Anne Brachet, Executive Vice President of Air France-KLM Engineering & Maintenance. Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, stated, “This agreement reflects the visionary leadership of the Saudia Group Board, led by its chairman, H.E. Engr. Saleh Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics. It aligns with the Saudi Aviation Strategy, spearheaded by the General Authority of Civil Aviation, and demonstrates our commitment to advancing the Kingdom’s aviation sector.” Benjamin Smith, CEO of Air France-KLM stated: “Saudia is a historic partner of Air France-KLM, and in the context of Saudi Arabia’s fast-paced development, we see a mutual interest in expanding our commercial cooperation and pooling our expertise, notably in the strategic MRO activity. Air France-KLM Engineering and Maintenance is already a leader in the field, and further cooperation with Saudia will unlock additional opportunities in the country and in the region”. This collaboration is a major step forward in strengthening Saudia’s technical infrastructure within the Kingdom, highlighting the shared commitment of both organizations to enhance their presence and growth in the aviation industry. Under the terms of the MOU, Saudia will take on the assembly and disassembly of GE90 engines, which power Boeing 777 aircraft. In exchange for localizing this process, Saudia will allocate a guaranteed 50% of the GE90 work orders to Air France-KLM. The agreement also delves into the possibility of establishing a joint venture dedicated to GEnx engines, which power Boeing 787 aircraft.. This move complements Saudia’s existing MRO capabilities, which include servicing CFM LEAP-1A engines for Airbus A320neo family planes. On the commercial front, the partnership also aims to strengthen the existing codeshare agreement between Saudia and Air France-KLM, both of which are members of the SkyTeam alliance.
Amex GBT partners with Air France and KLM to scale up NDC content
Representative Image, Courtesy: Freepik American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) has announced an expanded roll-out phase of new distribution capability (NDC) fares with Air France and KLM. The new commitment is focused on creating value for corporate customers through NDC-enabled technologies – in particular, enabling NDC content at scale while supporting the integrity and effectiveness of their managed travel programs. John Bukowski, Amex GBT’s Vice President, Content Acquisition & Strategic Sourcing, said: “This development demonstrates our commitment to providing customers with the best travel options within our marketplace, across all our solutions – proprietary and third-party channels, online and offline.” Stefan Vanovermeir, Vice President Distribution Air France-KLM, said: “We have collaborated closely with Amex GBT to develop a robust NDC solution for our joint customers, including better servicing capabilities compared to EDIFACT for exchanges and refunds. We are pleased to see that our NDC offerings, including the best fares thanks to continuous pricing and a more customized experience, will benefit a greater number of Amex GBT customers at scale.” With this expanded collaboration, Amex GBT and Air France and KLM will continue to grow their joint NDC footprint across multiple channels and countries.
Air France KLM Martinair Cargo and IndiGo CarGo announce partnership
Mark Sutch (left) and GertJan Roelands (right) signing the agreement at IndiGo’s Head office in Delhi Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP) and IndiGo CarGo are pleased to announce the signing of an extensive Interline Agreement connecting their expansive networks. This marks the first step in their collaborative efforts to further develop a robust cargo partnership. This Special Prorate Agreement will be effective as of 16 July 2024. The agreement was signed during a meeting at IndiGo's headquarters. In addition to the signing, the two parties discussed steps to strengthen their collaboration and to explore ways in which they can extend their cooperation in the coming years. Mark Sutch, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo CarGo said: “We are consistently expanding IndiGo CarGo’s network and capabilities. The strategic focus on growing international presence is greatly complemented by our partnership with Air France KLM Martinair Cargo. This collaboration not only broadens our service offerings but also allows us to leverage their extensive global reach, thereby providing our customers with a wider array of options across diverse geographies.” GertJan Roelands, Senior Vice President Commercial, Air France KLM Martinair Cargo:“India is a strategic growth market for AFKLMP Cargo. Having a strong partner in India is a great building block in our network strategy. The cooperation between IndiGo CarGo and AFKLMP Cargo will give our customers even more choice and solutions.” Both companies look forward to better serving the global cargo market, leveraging their complementary networks to provide enhanced services and explore new opportunities in airfreight transportation.
Webinar – “TD Managing People During A Crisis Summit”
Continuing with the success of our prior HR Summit, this new format summit returns in the online arena and is coming all executives from the Travel and Hospitality industries to discuss ways on managing people during crisis