Airline Overview
KLM, the national airline of the Netherlands, joined with Air France in 2004 to create Air France-KLM, the third largest airline company in the world in terms of passengers carried. KLM flies from 18 destinations in the UK and Ireland (Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Cork, Dublin, Durham Tees Valley, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Humberside, Leeds, London City, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich and Southampton) to destinations worldwide. Its hub is at Amsterdam Schipol.
Check-in desks open two hours before departure and close 40 minutes before departure for flights within Europe. For international flights, desks open two hours before departure and close one hour before departure. You can also check-in online from 30 hours until one hour before departure. Self-service kiosks are available in most airports and you can also, unusually, check-in by telephone. Call 08705 074 074 between 30 hours and one hour before departure (lines are open 24 hours a day) and then simply pick up the ticket from the self-service kiosks at the airport.
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Hand luggage: one bag is allowed, no larger than 55 x 35 x 25cm and no heavier than 10 kg as well as a personal item such as a handbag, umbrella, blanket etc.
Checked: one bag with a maximum weight of 20 kg. On flights to Canada and the US, two items each not weighing more than 32kg and with maximum dimensions of 158 linear cm (length + height + width).
Some other exceptions apply on routes beginning outside the UK, and routes from Mexico, Brazil, Nigeria, Surinam and Ecuador. Check with the airline before you fly.
Excess: rates are high, particularly if travelling to the US (starting at £85 for excess and overweight pieces). For flights within Europe charges are £3.50 per kg. Excess baggage can be booked in advance online, for 30 per cent of the cost charged at the airport.
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Name changes are not allowed. Flight changes depend on ticket type and must be made by calling the reservations number. An administrative fee will apply.
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Child fares are available and infants under the age of two travel for 10 per cent of the standard adult rate.
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There are three choices for transporting dogs and cats: in the cabin, in the hold if the pet is not allowed in the cabin, or as cargo. Unaccompanied pets must be shipped through KLM Cargo.
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Standard baggage allowances apply. A separate seat can be purchased for a large or fragile instrument instead of checking it.
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Meals will be provided. Special dietary requirement meals can be requested up to 36 hours before the departure of an inter-continental flight by calling the reservations centre (number listed below), including vegetarian meals, children's meals, special medical diets and meals for religious groups.
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Flying Blue allows you to collect air miles with KLM, and more than 100 other airline and on-the-ground partners. Special benefits include a minimum of 500 awards on domestic flights and 750 awards on international flights, regardless of the distance covered.
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