King Willem-Alexander flies final KLM Boeing 737 flight ahead of fleet transition

Willem-Alexander has completed his final scheduled flight as a guest co-pilot on a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 737, marking the end of a long-running chapter in the Dutch monarch’s aviation career.

The King, who has quietly served as a part-time co-pilot with the airline since the 1990s, confirmed on social media that he flew the aircraft type for the last time last week. KLM is currently phasing out its Boeing 737 fleet as part of a €7-billion fleet renewal programme, replacing the aircraft with the more fuel-efficient Airbus A321neo.

Before flying the 737, the King operated the Fokker 70 for KLM Cityhopper. Since completing 737 training in 2017, he has participated in regular commercial operations, typically flying around 3 flights per month under the alias “Meneer van Buren.”

During his time in the cockpit, he flew a wide range of passengers across Europe, including football supporters travelling to Prague for Europa League matches, families heading to Lapland to meet Santa Claus, and holidaymakers bound for destinations such as Ibiza and Malaga.

The royal pilot is not retiring from flying, however. He is expected to undergo retraining to qualify on the Airbus A321neo so he can continue operating flights for KLM. Outside commercial aviation, he also occasionally flies the Dutch government aircraft, which is currently another Boeing 737.