Era Award for KLM Cityhopper

Amstelveen, the Netherlands – KLM Cityhopper (KLC) has won the prestigious ‘ERA Airline of the Year 2009/10 Bronze Award’. The ERA had praise for the attention Cityhopper pays to passenger comfort, optimizing its products, fleet renewal and cost management. KLC is implementing a wide range of far-reaching changes to its product and its organisation.

The ERA Award has been in existence since 1991 and has grown to be a widely recognized commendation within the sector. In its report, the ERA wrote that KLM Cityhopper has performed especially well in a variety of areas. By acquiring 17 EMBRAER 190s, KLM Cityhopper is carrying out a robust fleet renewal programme, thereby strengthening the stability of its operations, reducing costs, and creating fewer CO2 emissions. By the end of this year KLC will have ten EMBRAER 190s in its fleet and will acquire another seven in 2010.

The new B Pier at Schiphol, KLC’s home base, will allow for more efficient handling and result in greater passenger satisfaction. The jury praised the company’s reorganisation of its technical activities and creation of a KLC Engineering & Maintenance Control Department, which will allow KLC to contract out maintenance activities while retaining supervision of those activities.

KLM Cityhopper Managing Director Boet Kreiken is proud of this recognition by the company’s European colleagues. “We have already heard many positive reactions from passengers about our innovations,” he said. “They have shown special appreciation for the EMBRAER 190s and for the new B Pier. But, it’s great to receive this kind of recognition from our fellow European regional airlines for the changes we’ve made. It’s a real compliment for all the efforts the dedicated professionals within the KLC organisation have made. The ERA award ranks KLC among the top European regional airlines!”

The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) represents 200 European companies in the airline industry. Every year, of the sixty affiliated airlines, three members are chosen from among their ranks that have performed best of all. This year, the jury consisted of experts from the sector including a number of former CEOs of European airlines and independent aviation journalists from a variety of European countries.