Imposing aviation tax on transport passengers is difficult for KLM. Every long-haul destination is important to the airline.
With the potential for an aviation tax to connect travellers, the hub function of Schiphol and KLM airports may come under pressure. Passengers are expected to bypass the airport and prefer other hubs, including Paris Charles de Gaulle or Frankfurt. As a result, KLM will lose not only transit passengers, but perhaps also long-haul flights. The reduced number of routes is expected to result in the Dutch having to travel five hours longer. According to Hugo Thomassen of the Airport Coordination Authority of the Netherlands (ACNL), the slots released will simply be distributed among the airlines.
Destinations deserve the same
Although some MPs have previously questioned why a destination like Quito, Ecuador, is so important to KLM, the airline maintains that every city adds value. “Of course there are transfers on a flight to Quito, but this flight is also important for Dutch business. More than 120 companies used the direct flight to Quito last year,” explains Seth van Straaten, director of major port strategy at KLM. Telegraph.
Impact on short flights
If the transport tax continues to be imposed on connecting passengers, it will affect not only long-haul flights but also shorter ones. “The network is not linear.” If you take one trip, the rest changes instantly. It's a pain in the ass. Even adjusting the departure time has a huge immediate impact on the rest of the network. “Everything is connected,” says Van Straaten.
