Originally Posted by Sjoerd
I have done my best to explain KLM's strategy which is to get relatively more revenue from home market flyers
KL's intra-European network is basically a loss-leader, the main purpose of which is to feed and fill the profitable intercontinental flights. The Dutch market is and will always be way too small for KL's extensive network, hence the airline's dependence on transfer pax, which make up some 60-70% of the total.
KL may well want to increase the number of pax originating in the Netherlands on intra-European flights (note that they have not reduced longhaul fares in the Dutch market), but to attempt do so at the expense of transfer pax would be idiotic.
In certain markets KL depends almost completely on transfer pax. Scandinavia is a good example. At least 20% of pax traveling to intercontinental destinations from Norway do so on KL. I sincerely doubt that KL would want to "re-balance their passengerload" in favor of very low yield Dutch pax at the expense of their market share in Norway.
Back when KL still offered five flights a day to MMX, I was generally the only Dutch speaking passenger on board (and I don't even live in Holland), the FA's often expressed surprise at being addressed in Dutch. On the rare occasion that I checked luggage to AMS, my bag would be one of only two or three on the luggage belt, all the other pax were tranfers. I now commute from CPH, where the number of Dutch pax is slightly greater, but not all that much.
I'm convinced that if it weren't for the LCCs, KL would happily have continued to milk the captive Dutch market for all that it is worth, and more. KL have lowered their prices ex-AMS in an attempt to compete with the increasing number of LCCs offering an increasing number of flights to more and more destinations, not to favor their home market at the expense of their market share elsewhere. If they attempted to fill all their NL-UK flights with Dutch pax traveling on E/N fares, load factors on intercontinental flights would drop noticeably!
please remember that KL's "home market" recently increased by some 350%
Huh? An airline's home market is the country (or part of a country) where its main hub is located, from where it offers direct flights to numerous destinations. Increasing the number of daily flights between CDG and AMS to 15 or so does not suddenly make France part of KL's home market, nor will it convince the French public that KL is now their very own national carrier.
Some of the frequent complainers here don't seem to be able to understand that simple logic.
I understand simple logic, as long as it isn't seriously flawed.
johan (who gets along just fine with all the lounge agents)