KLM to stop flights to Ukraine

Dutch airline KLM announced it will stop flying to Ukraine because of the urgent travel alert issued by the Netherlands on Saturday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned Dutch citizens not to travel to Ukraine, and said those who are there, including residents, should leave the country.

The new travel advice was issued because of growing fears that Russia will invade Ukraine. It is not yet clear when KLM will fly to Kyiv again. The airline already stopped flying over the eastern regions of Ukraine and Crimea since 2014. KLM was a codeshare partner with Malaysia Airlines when flight MH17 was shot down by a Russian missile while flying over eastern Ukraine, according to the Dutch Safety Board, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service and an international team of investigators.

The next flight to the capital, Kyiv, was scheduled to depart at 1 a.m. on Sunday, but it was cancelled. The decision was not only prompted by the new travel advice, but also on the basis of an "extensive safety analysis,” according to KLM.

For the analysis, the airline made use of information that is shared within a group of experts. All Dutch airlines, the Dutch intelligence services, the Ministries of Defence, the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Foreign Affairs, Infrastructure and Water Management and the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV) participate in the expert group.

KLM says it always puts the safety of passengers and employees first.