Last KLM 747 Flight to Curaçao @ KL129 // KL736

KLM operated her last 747 flight to Curaçao. Flight KL735 , callsign KL129-heavy, with a RWY 36L departure.

The first time KLM landed with a Boeing 747 at CUR was 6 November 1971,with the B747-200 ‘Mississippi’.

This was the last time after almost 49yrs operating this busy route with a 747.

Backflight KL736 landed at RWY 06 in the early morning. Both flights got operated with the B747-Fullpax reg PH-BFY

The cockpit- and cabincrew on this flight did have their last 747 flight.

In view of the 90% decline in flights and anticipated future capacity, KLM previously decided in early March that it would phase out its remaining Boeing 747s in April 2020,

instead of in the summer of 2021.

The loss of around 90% of flights between Europe and Asia has resulted in a major shortage of cargo capacity. Meanwhile, the corona crisis has prompted an enormous need for the rapid

transportation of medical equipment and other supplies between the United States, Europe and China.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has now joined hands with Royal Philips and the Dutch government to create a special cargo air bridge between the Netherlands and China.

In addition to these parties, many others are seeking additional capacity. The air bridge to Asia will be launched on 13 April.

To maintain this vital cargo air bridge for the coming six to eight weeks, KLM will specially redeploy Boeing 747 Combi equipment for the service between the Netherlands and China.

This air bridge will ensure continuous availability of special cargo capacity, with two weekly flights to Beijing and three weekly flights to Shanghai.

This will ensure around 250 tonnes of extra cargo capacity each way per week.

The flights will supplement the current “skeleton schedule” that took effect on 29 March, with two weekly flights to Beijing and two weekly flights to Shanghai, operated with Boeing 787s and 777s.

The KLM/Martinair Full Freighters will continue to be deployed on North Atlantic routes, which Philips will use as an air bridge between Amsterdam and distribution points in the United States.

The Full Freighters will also continue to operate on South Atlantic routes and to destinations in Africa.