KLM celebrates 75 years of operations from Glasgow

First flying to Amsterdam in 1946, the carrier now operates 18 flights per week from the Scottish hub 

KLM is celebrating its 75th anniversary of operations from Glasgow to Amsterdam today (July 29).  

On this day in 1946, the airline’s first flight from the Scottish airport took off and landed at Schiphol later that afternoon.  

KLM
Photo KLM

The service became incredibly popular and was fully booked for the months following its inauguration. KLM then increased the number of flights to twice a week, on both Mondays and Fridays.  

“In the 75 years since we began flying from the airport, the world has changed dramatically and despite the challenges faced over the past year and half, KLM has been able to maintain our operations from Glasgow, which highlights the importance of the connection between both cities,” said Benedicte Duval, general manager of Air France KLM UK and Ireland. “With the world now opening up slowly but surely, we are looking forward to working together with Glasgow Airport to ensure a strong mutual recovery for both parties.” 

Ronald Leitch, operations director at Glasgow Airport, added: “The success of any route is a three-way relationship between airline, airport and community. Without the commitment of all three there is no way to sustain a long-term service successfully. Since the inaugural flight, KLM has helped connect Scotland to many European and international destinations and the legacy continues to this day.” 

Currently, the airline operates up to 18 weekly journeys from Glasgow to Amsterdam. It has continued to serve customers throughout the pandemic by providing essential travel.