A secret revealed by Dutch national airline KLM this week has shed light on an important crew member who may have been carrying passengers from our airport without us even knowing it.
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands has been uncovered as a pilot for KLM Cityhopper, flying their Fokker 70 aircraft a couple of times per month on routes out of Amsterdam Schiphol airport.
The king told CNN: “For me the most important thing is that I have a hobby for which I need to concentrate completely,” he said.
“You have an aircraft, passengers and crew. You have responsibility for them. You can’t take your problems from the ground into the skies. You can completely disengage and concentrate on something else. That, for me, is the most relaxing part of flying,” he said.
KLM Cityhopper currently flies three times per day between Durham Tees Valley and Amsterdam Schiphol, linking into the airline’s worldwide network. The route is served by Fokker 70 aircraft, which means many of you flying out of Durham Tees Valley may have been flown by His Royal Highness himself!
From October KLM Cityhopper will begin using new Embraer 175 aircraft on the service from Durham Tees Valley as the older Fokker aircraft are retired. The Dutch king has said he will switch to flying KLM’s mainline Boeing 737 aircraft, so if you want the chance of being flown by him, book a trip before October!
KLM serves over 130 destinations from Durham Tees Valley via its efficient and award-winning hub at Amsterdam. From city beaks to Mediterranean holiday destinations and long-haul holidays, flights are available at excellent prices from right here on Teesside.
Visit www.klm.com to book a deal today.