World’s oldest airline that is still operational was launched before World War II, the name is…, not Air India

We have heard about bibliophile, cinephile, ever heard about aerophile? While the word is self-explanatory, it is indicative of someone who loves aviation, flying, knowing about aviation history etc. Aeroplanes are fascinating. From its physical dynamics to its history. Have you every wondered about the first aircraft ever built? Or the oldest airline? The former was built by Wright Brothers but the latter still exists.

World’s oldest airplane that is still up and flying belongs from Netherlands. It is called the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

About the Oldest Airline That is Still Operational

KLM Airlines was established in 1919 and was named after a Dutch operator Koninklijke Luchtvaartmaatschappij. It started One year after the first world war culminated. It operates scheduled passenger and cargo services both in over 150  destination across the world.

Ever since the inception of this company, reportedly by eight businessmen, it has seen its share of ups and downs. The havoc caused by the second world war to boom of the jet plane era and evolution of the entire aviation sector be it with financial instability or volatility. However, since 1919, KLM has weathered the storms. Later it was acquired by Air France to run Air France KLM Group.

KLM is a partner in the SkyTeam Alliance, which offers passengers even more possibilities, jointly serving 1,063 destinations in 173 countries, as per the official website. In 2024, KLM will fly to 156 destinations, 92 in Europe and 64 intercontinental.

Over the year, the company has seen job cuts, faced financial turbulence but emerged out of it all.

List of Oldest Operating Airlines

Not just KLM, but there are several other airlines that have created their legacy of the decades. British Airlines, Qantas were also established around the same time as KLM. While there were several other airlines emerging in different nation, only one Indian airline dates back to the 1930s. Air India was established in 1932 as Air Tata. By the late 1940s it was offering international flights to cities including London, Cairo and Nairobi and today serves over 100 international destinations.

News