CityJet and KLM have announced a new partnership on routes from the Netherlands that sees an increase in the scope of the code share agreement already in place between the two airlines and the wet leasing of CityJet aircraft to KLM subsidiary KLM Cityhopper.
Commencing 15th May 2017, KLM Cityhopper will wet lease two RJ85 aircraft from CityJet to operate four additional Amsterdam to London City services each weekday, bringing the KLM frequency to eight per weekday, four operated by KLM Cityhopper on Embraer 190s and four by CityJet on wet lease using Avro RJ85s. CityJet will also operate a number of existing flights to Birmingham, Hamburg, Bordeaux and Belfast on behalf of KLM.
KLM is currently a code share partner on CityJet’s services from the Netherlands to London City Airport. In the new co-operation, CityJet will also place its code on KLM-operated services connecting Amsterdam to London City, Manchester and Newcastle, increasing the range of routes and frequencies on offer to its customers.
Cathal O’Connell, Chief Commercial Officer, CityJet, said: “As we continue our strategy of refocusing CityJet into an airline with a strong mix of scheduled services and wet lease operations on behalf of other airlines, this new agreement sees further growth in our portfolio of wet lease customers in parallel with using our extensive experience of operations into London City Airport on behalf of a customer airline. CityJet will continue its presence in London City market as a codeshare partner of KLM on the Amsterdam route in addition to our own services between London City and Dublin, Antwerp, Florence, Avignon and Toulon.”
Boet Kreiken, Managing Director, KLM Cityhopper, said: “KLM has been a long-term partner of CityJet in its operations from the Netherlands to London City Airport. After an absence of eight years, KLM commenced services from Amsterdam to London City in February with our Embraer 190 aircraft, currently operating four per weekday.
