KLM celebrates 80 years of Glasgow operations

KLM is celebrating 80 years of connectivity between Glasgow and Amsterdam. Its first flight from Scotland took place on 29 July, 1946, when a chartered Scottish Airlines DC-3 departed Renfrew Airport, Glasgow’s principal airport at the time, and arrived at Amsterdam Schiphol later that afternoon.

The inaugural flight carried several Scottish national products, together with a gift for the Mayor of Amsterdam, symbolising the close links between Scotland and the Netherlands. Following the opening of the current Glasgow Airport in 1966, services were transferred from Renfrew.

Today, KLM operates up to 4-daily flights between Glasgow and Amsterdam. Booking data from the past twelve months shows that the leading European countries for passengers travelling from Glasgow are the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France and Poland. Outside Europe, the most popular countries are the United States, South Africa, China, Nigeria and Canada.

The Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Denmark and Norway are the leading European countries of origin for passengers visiting Glasgow with KLM. Outside Europe, the largest inbound markets are the United States, China, Canada, South Korea and South Africa.

Jerome Salemi, General Manager Air France-KLM UK & Ireland, said: “Reaching 80 years of service on this route highlights KLM’s long-standing commitment to Glasgow and Scotland over the decades. Whether travelling for business, to explore new destinations or to visit loved ones, we are proud to have been part of so many journeys, and we look forward to welcoming more customers on board our flights for many years to come.”

Gavin Birch-Williams, Managing Director of Glasgow Airport, added: “We are delighted to join KLM in celebrating 80 years of connecting Glasgow with Amsterdam and the wider world. As Glasgow Airport celebrates 60 years at its current site in 2026, it is especially fitting to recognise an airline that has been part of Glasgow’s aviation story for even longer. We congratulate KLM on this significant anniversary and look forward to building on our successful partnership for many years to come.”