Articles tagged “klm”

KLM CEO Pieter Elbers has done a fine job with his airline. It is a good thing he is staying put. But how will he work with group CEO Ben Smith? We'll find out.

Ben Smith is talking the talk right now, but unlike his predecessors who disappointed: Will he be able to walk the walk?

KLM CEO Pieter Elbers is one of the most respected airline managers in the world. But KLM is not an independent airline and ultimately he should be accountable to group CEO Ben Smith.

New CEO Benjamin Smith is trying to do something his predecessors failed at — bring Air France and KLM closer together. The two airlines need to work in sync more if the group is going to compete better with rivals in Europe.

Of all travel companies, TripAdvisor has the most to gain by taking advantage of the expanding augmented reality functionality of iPhones and other devices. Overlaying rich hotel and restaurant reviews on real-world scenes could be widely popular. Will it act?

Employee unrest at Air France took its toll. The airline group really needs to appoint a new CEO soon so it can get back on track.

Until Air France-KLM implements a long-term cohesive strategy, it probably will keep falling behind its main competitors, International Airlines Group and Lufthansa Group. But unless the macroeconomic environment changes, it should be OK. Even with rising fuel prices, now is a good time to be in the airline business.

KLM CEO Pieter Elbers is honest. He knows some of his employees question why KLM, which is thriving, needs its long-term marriage to Air France. But Elbers knows that in airlines, the biggest carrier usually wins. Plus, he knows there's no other way forward. For better or worse, Air France and KLM are probably together forever.

Is there a tougher job in the airline industry than making Air France more nimble? It's an airline that prides itself on its systems and procedures. But to compete forcefully in the 21st century, an airline must take chances. Air France needs to be more, in that regard, like its Dutch sibling, KLM.

KLM is a little less reliant on Chinese customers than other major airlines, but it's good to see the Dutch carrier taking the chance on a new way of accepting payments. We're betting it'll work out well for KLM. And we suspect other airlines will follow.