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KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has initiated a new operational strategy by deploying Air France crew on its Boeing 777 aircraft for flights between Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport and New York John F. Kennedy International Airport. This collaboration marks the first time an Air France flight crew will operate a KLM Boeing 777-200ER on this route, with the arrangement set to last four months.
The cross-crew initiative aims to address KLM's pilot shortage during the busy summer season. The first mixed crew flight departed from Amsterdam on July 16, 2025, at 1:25 PM local time as flight KL641, featuring Air France pilots and KLM cabin crew aboard a Boeing 777-200ER registered as PH-BQG.
These flights are scheduled to operate daily until October 25, 2025. Significant efforts have been made by teams at both airlines to coordinate with stakeholders such as unions and aviation authorities. Maarten Stienen, Chief Operating Officer of KLM, commented: “This collaboration will help KLM to operate its scheduled flights this summer. It supplements our capacity this summer, which is good for KLM as a whole. I am proud that we have made this possible within the Air France-KLM Group. I wish all my colleagues on the route a safe flight and a pleasant collaboration.”
