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KLM notifies more closures

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: The Royal Dutch Airlines, the KLM has notified to agents and clients more likely closures around the world by the end of this month. Besides Karachi, the other stations put on the closure list will be Riyadh and Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Tehran (Iran), Hong Kong (China), Baku in Central Asia, Santiago in Chile, London Gaitwick Airport and Mulhouse in France.

The main reason given by the airlines is dwindling loads - passenger and cargo wise. The nearest connection for loads originating in Pakistan and Iran, thus will be Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The airlines will however, maintain some sort of off-line representation in the two countries in an effort to promote traffic to Holland through the UAE and thus might offer larger incentives than other competitors. The withdrawal of KLM will leave only two European carriers to come to Pakistan: Swissair operating to Karachi and British Airways to Islamabad.