KLM cuts prices, adds destinations in fight with EasyJet

Dutch airline KLM plans to lure passengers away from competitors like EasyJet with more destinations and lower prices, CEO Pieter Elbers said in an interview with Het Parool.

"We have perhaps been somewhat forgotten by the Dutch traveler who wants to fly within Europe. But we are now trying to take back the market share in the Netherlands. As the largest company at Schiphol, our role for the Dutch market will become even more important", Elbers said to the newspaper.

This coming summer KLM will be extending its European network by adding flights to Dresden in Germany, Genoa in Italy, Valencia in Spain and Southampton and Iverness in Britain. KLM will soon be offering flights to 38 of the 75 European destinations at low prices from 99 euros. The airline is also adding some intercontinental flights which will be announced later.

According to Elbers, the airline's new growth strategy is a direct response to all the companies who became active on Schiphol these last few years. And the change in strategy was made possible by the cutbacks the airline implemented his past year. "Our plans for Europe is an excellent example of how we can make money available through cutbacks for investing in growth", he said.