KLM suspends all long-haul flights to the Netherlands

KLM will suspend its 270 weekly long-haul flights to the Netherlands from Friday due to new health rules linked to the coronavirus, an airline spokesperson said.

The new rules set on Wednesday by the Dutch authorities require in particular passengers but also flight crew to present a second negative rapid screening certificate for coronavirus just before departure in order to enter The Netherlands.

The cancellations will also apply to European flights for which crews spend a night abroad.

“That the crew must submit a negative COVID test result before reentering The Netherlands is a death sentence for the airline“, union president Reinier Castelein of De Unie said to Dutch press, adding that the cancellation of these long-haul flights will cost thousands of (airline) jobs.

Castelein believes that passengers will opt for other airlines to make their travels: “our government just killed our national airline. This move will put the Dutch economy further behind.”