Netherlands: KLM Says No Merger with BA

Netherlands: KLM Says No Merger with BA

Despite rumors to the contrary, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines told Reuters on March 23 that it did not plan to merge with British Airways, but that it was in talks with both BA and Air France to join one of their alliances.

“We are talking to both airlines, but not about merging,” said spokesman Bart Koster.

KLM is seeking to join either the SkyTeam alliance or the oneworld partnership, he said.

KLM has the industry’s oldest revenue-sharing partnership with Northwest Airlines.

British Airways officials were not immediately available to comment, though the UK-based Independent reported that BA Chief Executive Rod Eddington was planning a trip to Amsterdam to talk to his counterpart at KLM.