Highlights from an interview with Harm Kreulen, Managing Director KLM Netherlands in the July/August issue of Zakenreis magazine.

Membership numbers in the Netherlands

Ivory : 1.4m
Silver: 45k
Gold: 28k
Plat: 23k
LTPE: 8k

186 new LTPEs in 2015.

LTPEs who reach 1m lifetime level miles get a Delft Blue "Paleis Het Loo", a collectors item valued at € 2,500.--

These FB members account for 70% of KLM NL's turnover.

Product developments

- the "improvements" for Ivory have already been mentioned in another thread.

- Paid advance seat assignments on all flights worldwide from August 24th, elites excepted.

- Dynamic pricing for all award tickets.

- FB to become spend-based.

- Miles & Cash awards to be introduced.

- Pre-sales – members will get first shot at special deals, a day or to before everyone else.

- Private Sales will become a regular feature.

- Better targeting of e-mails. They currently send out 1m a week, with up to 2,000 slightly different versions of one and the same e-mail for each and every promotion. That, apparently is not enough, they want to switch to personalized communications. For example, those just one flight short of achieving Silver will get an e-mail encouraging them to get their bum in a seat forthwith.

Johan