KLM

Is KLM safe?

Yes. KLM is the world's oldest airline still flying under its original name, and its last fatal mainline accident was almost half a century ago. Its regional subsidiary, KLM Cityhopper, has gone more than 30 years without one. We score KLM 88, just ahead of Lufthansa (87) and ahead of its group partner Air France. It loses points for an older narrowbody fleet and a few recent incidents, none of them deadly.

What happened at Tenerife?

The accident that still defines KLM in many people's minds happened on 27 March 1977 at Los Rodeos airport on Tenerife. Both a KLM Boeing 747 and a Pan Am 747 had been diverted there after a bomb went off at Gran Canaria. In thick fog, the KLM captain began the take-off roll without a take-off clearance while the Pan Am jet was still taxiing down the same runway. All 248 people on the KLM aircraft and 335 of the 396 on the Pan Am aircraft died.

Tenerife changed aviation more than almost any other crash. Standard radio phrases, the rule that "take-off" is said only when clearing an aircraft to go, and crew resource management training, which teaches co-pilots to challenge captains, all trace back to it. It is far outside our 20-year window and does not affect the score.

The Cityhopper record

KLM Cityhopper flies Embraer regional jets from Schiphol to European cities under KL flight numbers. It holds its own operating certificate, so we name it separately here, but it is part of KLM and uses KLM's codes, and its record is in the score.

Its last fatal accident was on 4 April 1994. A Saab 340 bound for Cardiff turned back to Schiphol after an engine oil-pressure warning that turned out to be false. On the approach, the crew mishandled the engine power and the aircraft crashed beside the runway. Three of the 24 people on board died.

In May 2024, a person died after entering the running engine of a Cityhopper Embraer 190 during pushback at Schiphol; the Dutch military police later concluded it was a suicide. It was not an accident in the operating sense, and we do not count it.

Cityhopper's newest jets, the Embraer E195-E2, were partly parked because of problems with their Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines, the same engine family behind groundings of A320neos and A220s at other airlines. KLM expects all of them back in service during 2026.

Recent incidents at KLM

The most serious recent event happened in Norway. On 28 December 2024, KL1204, a Boeing 737-800 from Oslo to Amsterdam, had a loud bang about 20 minutes after take-off. The crew diverted to Sandefjord Torp, where the aircraft left the runway at the end of its landing roll and stopped in the grass. All 176 passengers and six crew were unhurt. Norway's investigation authority classified it as a serious incident; its December 2025 update said a main-wheel tyre had come apart on take-off and its debris damaged the hydraulic system. The tyre had been retreaded four times. The final report is not out.

Two smaller events in 2026 are with the Dutch Safety Board. On 21 February, a KLM 737 being pushed back at Schiphol hit another KLM 737 taxiing past; no one was hurt. On 16 June, an A321neo struck its tail while landing at Lisbon and stayed on the ground for repairs.

How old is KLM's fleet?

KLM's 122 aircraft averaged 13.5 years at the end of 2025, according to Air France-KLM, with the medium-haul 737s at 14.8 years. That is a little older than Air France. Renewal is now visible: KLM has 17 Airbus A321neos replacing the 737s, retired its first 737-800 in November 2025, and took delivery of its first A350-900 on 2 October 2026. The A350s will replace the A330s and older 777s on long-haul routes.

How to fly KLM well

• Look for the A321neo or 787 when you book. They are the newest aircraft on European and long-haul routes.
• Check the operator on short flights. KL numbers on regional routes are flown by KLM Cityhopper, and codeshares may be flown by Air France, Delta or other partners. The booking page names the operator.
• Allow for wind at Schiphol. Autumn and winter storms often force runway changes and go-arounds; these are routine and not a sign of a problem.

How we scored it

Accident record (95) and oversight (92) are KLM's strongest factors; the accident score is close to easyJet and Ryanair, at 96 each. The fleet (72) is its weakest factor until the A321neos and A350s replace the 737s and older widebodies, and the 2024 Torp runway excursionRunway excursionWhen an aircraft leaves the runway surface during take-off or landing, either off the end (an overrun) or off the side (a veer-off).More in the glossary keeps incidents at 80.