KLM’s Boeing exit forces early replacement of the Dutch government’s 8-year-old €89 million 737 BBJ
KLM’s decision to switch to an all-Airbus fleet will cost the Dutch government millions, as the Netherlands will lose maintenance support for its eight-year-old Boeing 737 BBJ, registration PH-GOV. While the aircraft is owned by the Dutch government, its operations officially fall under the purview of KLM.
Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (Royal Dutch Airlines) is the official flight operator for the Royal House and the Dutch government, providing staff and performing maintenance.
It’s the second time the Netherlands has been forced to find a new government plane due to KLM’s fleet decisions. The government previously retired a Fokker 70 aircraft after KLM stopped operating the type, replacing it with the Boeing 737 BBJ.
The Boeing 737 BBJ was sometimes operated by King Willem-Alexander, a trained Boeing 737 pilot who also occasionally flies for KLM, and who recently had to retrain to operate Airbus aircraft.
The Dutch government is reviewing options for its flight operations
Acquired for €89 million and delivered in 2019, PH-GOV was intended to be in service with the Dutch government for decades. However, as first reported by the Telegraaf and confirmed by RTL News with sources in The Hague, the Dutch government is currently reviewing its options for a new aircraft assigned to transport cabinet members and the Royal House.
Acquiring a new Airbus ACJ320neo could cost the government upwards of €105 million. The resale value of an eight-year-old Boeing 737-700 BBJ could be as high as €65 million, according to recent aircraft listings.
Airbus claims the ACJ320neo offers the largest cabin in its class, with a larger cross-section. The aircraft offers high reliability, lower fuel burn, and lower carbon emissions. The ACJ320neo has a range of up to 6,750 nautical miles, enabling intercontinental flights between city pairs such as London – Buenos Aires. The Boeing 737-700 BBJ offers a range of 6,000 nautical miles.
The previous Dutch government aircraft, the Fokker 70 PH-KBX, operated for over 20 years. It was set for retirement in 2017, when KLM Cityhopper retired its Fokker fleet, which meant KLM would no longer maintain the aircraft. The government then acquired the Boeing 737 BBJ, specifically selected because KLM already maintained 737s.
Dutch King enjoys a long flying career with KLM and the government
King Willem-Alexander has been an avid aviator since he was a young Prince of Orange. According to the Royal House, the king first obtained his Private Pilot’s License (Second Class) in 1985 and his Commercial Pilot’s Licence with an Instrument Rating in 1987, and then obtained his theoretical B1/B2 licence.
The Dutch king first flew as a volunteer in Kenya, first for the medical aid organisation African Medical Research & Education Foundation (AMREF) and then for the Kenya Wildlife Service. He also flies as a guest pilot for KLM Cityhopper. The king also previously flew the government’s official Fokker 70 PH-KBX.
King Willem-Alexander operated his last flight on the PH-GOV Boeing 737-700 BBJ this March, returning to Amsterdam from Venice, where he opened the Dutch pavilion at the Biennale together with Queen Máxima.
“From now on, he will focus entirely on flying the Airbus A32neo,” the Royal House stated in an Instagram post marking the occasion. “The King is undergoing retraining to be able to fly this aircraft type.”
To mark the final flight on the PH-GOV, the king received a small souvenir from the crew—the tail of the PH-GOV on a shield.
King Willem-Alexander will likely fly the government’s new ACJ320neo once it is acquired.
Featured Image: Royal House of the Netherlands
