‍KLM Celebrates 105th Anniversary in Amsterdam

‍AMSTERDAM — KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL), the national carrier of the Netherlands, just celebrated its 105th anniversary in style.

A tradition on its birthday, October 7, the Dutch airline unveiled a new 'Delft Blue' KLM House, adding another house to every year of its existence. Airways was cordially invited to the celebration.

This year’s installment saw the airline’s CEO, Marjan Rintel, reveal the new house, which this time is modeled on the “Huis op Drie Gretchen,” or “The House on the Three Canals,” located in central Amsterdam.

The mansion, located in the center of Amsterdam, dates from 1610 and was built in Dutch Renaissance style. The house has the status of national monument and owes its name to the fact that it has different canals on three sides: the Grimburgwal, the Oudezijds Voorburgwal (front) and the Oudezijds Achterburgwal.

The house has survived the centuries, through war and military occupation, and was in use as a bookshop until 2002; however, it is now a private residence.

The First KLM House

House number 105 is the latest in a longstanding tradition at KL dating from the early 1950s when the airline began offering Dutch Gin to its business class passengers in bottles shaped like Dutch houses. 

The bottles are crafted from Dutch “Delft Blue” pottery, and the gin comes from the Royal Dutch Distillery, founded in 1575. These promotional items became an instant hit with business-class customers and a staple of the KLM brand ever since.

The first KLM house was introduced in 1952 and modeled after a home in Amersfoort, southeast of Amsterdam. These houses are collectible and highly sought after with a strong aftermarket. Houses 1 and 2 are the most sought after as they were only produced in small numbers. Many of these houses have sold for thousands in recent years.

This became an annual event in 1994 when the airline celebrated its 70th anniversary, launching a unique edition house modeled after its headquarters in Amsterdam.

Comments from KLM's CEO

It’s no secret that KL and many other carriers face tough decisions and headwinds ahead of itself. However, in a Q&A with the press before the unveiling, CEO Marjan Rintel outlined that the KLM houses are essential to the airline’s brand and heritage and would not be considered for cutting during these more difficult times.

"The unveiling of a new KLM house on our anniversary is always a special moment, especially when it is a lustrum. We are celebrating this anniversary in a challenging time for our company. However, in our 105-year history, we have often faced headwinds and KLM has always shown itself to be creative and resilient in overcoming them. Our goal is and remains a healthy and future-proof KLM. With the package of measures that we recently announced, we are laying the foundation for a strong KLM that will continue to connect the Netherlands with the rest of the world for the next 105 years." Marjan Rintel, President & CEO KLM

The airline will soon be busy selecting and designing next year’s house.