Aviation History
Dutch aviation history centers on Amsterdam Schiphol, opened as a military airfield in 1916, and on KLM (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij), founded on 7 October 1919 by Albert Plesman — verified as the world's oldest airline still operating under its original name. KLM's first flight, a chartered service between Amsterdam and London, took off in May 1920, and by the late 1920s and 1930s the airline operated what was then the world's longest scheduled route, connecting Amsterdam to Batavia (present-day Jakarta) in the Dutch East Indies. Dutch manufacturer Fokker was one of the world's leading aircraft builders through the interwar and postwar decades before going bankrupt in 1996. The Netherlands was also the site of the deadliest accident in aviation history, the 1977 Tenerife runway collision involving a KLM Boeing 747. In 2004 KLM merged with Air France to form the Air France-KLM Group while retaining its own brand, fleet, and Schiphol hub, which remains one of Europe's largest aviation gateways.
Amsterdam Schiphol began as a military airfield before evolving into the Netherlands' primary civil airport and KLM's hub.
Albert Plesman founded Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (KLM) on 7 October 1919; it is recognized as the world's oldest airline still operating under its original name.
KLM operated its first flight, a chartered London-Amsterdam service, in May 1920, beginning scheduled international operations.
KLM launched service to Batavia (Jakarta) in the Dutch East Indies, then the world's longest scheduled airline route.
Dutch manufacturer Fokker, founded by Anthony Fokker, became one of the world's most prominent aircraft builders through the interwar era before its 1996 bankruptcy.
A KLM Boeing 747 collided with a Pan Am 747 on the runway at Los Rodeos Airport, Tenerife, killing 583 people in the deadliest accident in aviation history.
KLM merged with Air France to form the Air France-KLM Group, while retaining its own brand, operating certificate, and Amsterdam hub.
Transavia was established and later became KLM's low-cost leisure carrier subsidiary, expanding affordable European travel from the Netherlands.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines · Transavia · Martinair
Compiled from general public/encyclopedic aviation history sources (KLM corporate history, Wikipedia); the KLM 'oldest airline' claim is well-documented and widely verified across sources.