KLM ups flights to Amsterdam

PANAMA. While air carriers world wide have been cutting down on flights, to cope with the global economic crisis, KLM will be increasing its passages on the Panama to Amsterdam route.

Due to the high fall in demand for flights, Air France - KLM decreased the supply of flights offered worldwide. Measured in seats by kilometers offered, the group's supply was cut by 3.4 percent in 2009 compared to 2008.

For the most part, Air France has adopted a policy of decreasing the number of flights instead of closing routes wherever possible, in an attempt to keep its worldwide network, a big attraction for its customers.

In the case of KLM Royal Dutch Airines, the company is canceling some flights and redistributing them to more attractive destinations. Flights to Aruba, Tallin, and Hyderabad for example will be cancelled, while flights to Liverpool and Calgary and Panama will be increased.

In Central America, KLM is responding to the good performance of the Amsterdam - Panama route by adding two weekly flights, increasing its offer to five weekly flights to and from Amsterdam.

This increase reflects the strength of the growing market and the fruitful cooperation with Copa Airlines along this route, which was launched less than a year ago.

With Copa’s Hub of the Americas, which uses the Tocumen International Airport to provide immediate connections from South and Central America to the rest of the continent without going through immigration and customs, KLM has found in Panama an ideal destination.

Latin Americans looking to fly to Europe without going through the hassle of getting a US Visa and passing through US immigration and Customs have found a viable alternative in flights from Panama offered by KLM (to Amsterdam) and Iberia (to Spain).