Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
KLM Boeing 747 lands in Amsterdam
A KLM Boeing 747 arriving at Schiphol Airport from Shanghai, China. July 21, 2016 - Credit: portosabbia / DepositPhotos - License: DepositPhotos
Business
Crime
Health
KLM
discrimination
Coronavirus
Covid-19
apology
Friday, 14 February 2020 - 12:40
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

KLM apologizes for discriminatory note prompted by coronavirus fear

KLM issued an apology on Friday after a note posted on a toilet door on a flight from Amsterdam to Seoul caused an online uproar earlier this week. The note stated only in Korean that the toilet was only for cabin crew use. When a passenger asked about this, they were told that the note was hung as a precaution against the coronavirus 2019-nCoV, NU.nl reports.

The passenger snapped a picture of the note and posted it on social media, after which the hashtag #BoycottKLM was trending in Korea.

A KLM spokesperson told NU.nl that cabin crew members often reserve a toilet for themselves, so that they don't end up standing in line. The spokesperson could not say why the onboard staff indicated that the coronavirus was the reason that the toilet was closed to travelers.

It was a mistake that the note was only posted in Korean, the spokesperson said. "The English translation was omitted unintentionally."

According to KLM, apologies were immediately offered to the passenger who complained about the note. "In our view, this incident is very regrettable; the crew's action was not intended to discriminate," the airline said.

KLM will conduct an internal investigation to see how such incidents can be prevented in the future.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • One person found dead after major fire in business premises in Schellinkhout
  • Ajax pick up their first win since October in Heitinga’s debut
  • Philips restructuring: Massive layoffs and recall of sleep apnea devices
  • Police officer injured after being dragged more than 300 meters by car
  • Extinction Rebellion protest: 768 arrests made and 725 activists released
  • League leaders Feyenoord drop points away to FC Twente

Top stories

  • Dutch royal family under fire for “caricature insensitivity”
  • Prime Minister Mark Rutte will speak at Holocaust commemoration
  • A12 open again after Extinction Rebellion protest, more than 500 people arrested
  • Police intervenes Extinction Rebellion protest on A12; Dozens of people arrested
  • Rutte lashes out at left wing parties in election campaign interview
  • Netherlands and the US agree on export restriction of ASML chip machines

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content