Dutch air freight managers slam KLM’s handling of Martinair integration

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A source reveals that today could be the day: it is thought that Air France and KLM are having a board meeting at which the fate of the pair will be decided: to split the airlines or let Air France take control? It’s going to be a tough decision, but the likelihood, as some are pressing for, of the two carriers being fully merged under a wholly different name seems unlikely.

But to get you in the mood for more KLM news, here is some more analysis on the sad state of affairs over in Amsterdam. Managers are coming out of the woodwork to criticise the way the carrier has been run recently – and the way in which Martinair is currently being handled. But while it is interesting to note the reactions of many in the Dutch air freight industry, much of this argument is being made on emotional terms. With two experienced cargo managers already moved to Transavia, is there much point in wishing otherwise? And it seems unlikely at best to think that KLM will invest in modern freighters for Martinair at this point. While CargoForwarder Global questions whether Schiphol chief Enno Osinga’s assertion in The Loadstar that “cargo will fly anyway – [whatever the name on the metal]” could mean lower volumes in Amsterdam, the airport seems competitive enough to keep freight there, with or without a national freighter operator. Just look at Atlas Air’s aggressive move into the space…