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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 6-K

Report of Foreign Issuer

Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

of November 6, 2003

KLM ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES


(translation of Registrant’s trade name into English)

Amsterdamseweg 55, 1182 GP Amstelveen, The Netherlands


(Address of principal executive offices)

(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.)

     
Form 20-F  [X]   Form 40-F  [  ]

(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.)

     
Yes  [  ]   No  [X]

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

TRAFFIC AND CAPACITY STATISTICS — OCTOBER 2003
SIGNATURES


Table of Contents

(KLM LOGO)

03/84

TRAFFIC AND CAPACITY STATISTICS — OCTOBER 2003

  Passenger load factor increased to 83.3 percent
 
  Passenger traffic at same level as last year
 
  Intercontinental business class traffic increased 4 percent
 
  Cargo load factor increased to 74.7 percent

Passenger Traffic

Passenger traffic continues to improve and was at the same level as last year on 1 percent lower capacity. As a result, passenger load factor increased by 1.4 percentage points to 83.3 percent. On the intercontinental routes, business class travel increased by 4 percent on a 2 percent increase in capacity. European traffic increased by 4 percent, whereas capacity increased by 3 percent. The increase in capacity is mainly the result of the reconfiguration of KLM’s European fleet from 5 to 6 abreast in the Europe Select class. However, the total number of flights was down 4 percent on last year. Load factor increased by 1.3 percentage points to 78.6 percent.

North Atlantic load factor increased by 2.8 percentage points to 87.7 percent. Traffic was 11 percent lower than last year, while capacity was 14 percent lower than last year.

On the Asia/Pacific route area traffic improved by 4 percent whereas capacity increased by 3 percent. As a result, load factor increased by 1.1 percentage point to 87.9 percent.

On the Central and South Atlantic routes, traffic recovered from last month low level and increased this month by 3 percent year-on-year. As capacity was increased by 3 percent as well, load factor was stable at 78.1 percent.

Cargo Traffic

Cargo traffic increased by 6 percent year-on-year on 5 percent higher capacity. Cargo load factor increased by 0.7 percentage points to 74.7 percent. Traffic outbound Europe remains weak because of the relatively strong euro and the continuous weak European economy.

Traffic on the Asia Pacific routes increased by 14 percent, while capacity was up 11 percent on last year. As a result the cargo load factor improved by 2.5 percentage points to 87.8 percent.

North Atlantic cargo traffic decreased by 5 percent, on 2 percent lower capacity. Consequently, load factor decreased by 2.1 percentage points to 69.5 percent. Traffic on the North Atlantic experiences increasing overcapacity.

Amstelveen, November 5, 2003

                                                 
    October   April - October
   
 
    2003   2002   change (%)   2003   2002   change (%)
   
 
 
 
 
 
Revenue passenger km (RPK) (in millions)
                                               
Europe
    961       922       4 %     6,434       6,515       (1 )%
North Atlantic
    1,217       1,371       (11 )%     8,541       9,027       (5 )%
Central and South Atlantic
    710       690       3 %     5,135       4,945       4 %
Asia / Pacific
    1,215       1,162       4 %     7,060       8,055       (12 )%
Middle East / South Asia
    438       402       9 %     2,789       2,934       (5 )%
Africa
    705       678       4 %     4,236       4,406       (4 )%
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
 
Total
    5,245       5,226       0 %     34,196       35,883       (5 )%
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
 
Available seat km (ASK) (in millions)
                                               
Europe
    1,223       1,192       3 %     8,282       8,406       (1 )%
North Atlantic
    1,389       1,615       (14 )%     9,643       10,371       (7 )%
Central and South Atlantic
    909       883       3 %     6,655       6,521       2 %
Asia / Pacific
    1,382       1,339       3 %     8,933       9,331       (4 )%
Middle East / South Asia
    545       538       1 %     3,547       3,886       (9 )%
Africa
    848       812       4 %     5,401       5,353       1 %
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
 
Total
    6,295       6,379       (1 )%     42,462       43,869       (3 )%
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
 
Passenger load factor (%)
                                               
Europe
    78.6       77.3       1.3  pts     77.7       77.5       0.2  pts
North Atlantic
    87.7       84.9       2.8  pts     88.6       87.0       1.6  pts
Central and South Atlantic
    78.1       78.1       0.0  pts     77.2       75.8       1.4  pts
Asia / Pacific
    87.9       86.8       1.1  pts     79.0       86.3       (7.3 ) pts
Middle East / South Asia
    80.4       74.7       5.7  pts     78.7       75.5       3.2  pts
Africa
    83.1       83.5       (0.4 ) pts     78.4       82.3       (3.9 ) pts
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
 
Total
    83.3       81.9       1.4  pts     80.5       81.8       (1.3 ) pts
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
 
Revenue freight ton-km (RFTK) (in millions)
                                               
Europe
    4       5       (31 )%     24       35       (33 )%
North Atlantic
    82       87       (5 )%     579       566       2 %
Central and South Atlantic
    36       39       (8 )%     246       257       (4 )%
Asia / Pacific
    204       179       14 %     1,319       1,195       10 %
Middle East / South Asia
    26       24       10 %     165       167       (1 )%
Africa
    31       29       6 %     193       193       0 %
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
 
Total
    383       362       6 %     2,526       2,413       5 %
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
 
Available freight ton-km (AFTK) (in millions)
                                               
Europe
    24       25       (5 )%     166       177       (6 )%
North Atlantic
    119       121       (2 )%     820       795       3 %
Central and South Atlantic
    55       58       (5 )%     408       428       (5 )%
Asia / Pacific
    232       210       11 %     1,577       1,429       10 %
Middle East / South Asia
    38       34       13 %     249       237       5 %
Africa
    45       43       4 %     289       289       0 %
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
 
Total
    512       490       5 %     3,509       3,355       5 %
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
 
Cargo load factor (%)
                                               
Europe
    15.2       20.8       (5.6 ) pts     14.2       19.9       (5.7 ) pts
North Atlantic
    69.5       71.6       (2.1 ) pts     70.7       71.1       (0.4 ) pts
Central and South Atlantic
    65.1       67.1       (2.0 ) pts     60.3       60.1       0.2  pts
Asia / Pacific
    87.8       85.3       2.5  pts     83.6       83.7       (0.1 ) pts
Middle East / South Asia
    67.9       70.3       (2.4 ) pts     66.1       70.2       (4.1 ) pts
Africa
    69.7       68.6       1.1  pts     66.9       66.9       0.0  pts
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
 
Total
    74.7       74.0       0.7  pts     72.0       71.9       0.1  pts
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
 

 


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

         
    KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
 
 
Date: November 6, 2003   By   /s/ R.A. Ruijter

Name : R.A. Ruijter
Title   : Managing Director & CFO
 
 
    By   /s/ J.E.C. de Groot

Name : J.E.C. de Groot
Title   : SVP & General Secretary