KLM and its flight attendants finalize a new labor agreement
The new agreement has been retroactively applied from March 1, 2025.
KLM has announced that it has finalized a new collective labor agreement (CLA) with the three unions that represent the airline’s flight attendants, with the new two-year agreement being retroactively effective from March to February 2027.
On December 31, 2025, KLM announced that the three unions, representing its flight attendants, had ratified a new CLA, with the new agreement being retroactively applied since March 1. It will expire on February 28, 2027.
According to the Dutch carrier, following the ratification of the CLA by De Unie, Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging Cabine (Federation of Dutch Trade Unions, FNV), and Vereniging Nederlandse Cabinepersoneel (Union of Dutch Cabin Crew, VNC), the new agreement will result in a salary increase of 3.25%, split between increases on December 1 (1%), July 1, 2026 (1.25%), and January 1, 2027 (1%).
The airline’s flight attendants will also receive a one-time payment of €750 ($880.20) in January 2026.
On December 10, VNC said that the three unions had negotiated the new CLA, which was handed over to the labor collectives’ members to vote on. The VNC’s statement read that it had brought the negotiated CLA to its members after “all proposals that would increase workload have been removed,” which has been essential for cabin crew members.
“Furthermore, it has become clear that, in KLM's current financial situation, no additional pay leeway can be achieved without negotiations reaching a permanent deadlock once again.”
In a separate statement, FNV Cabine, with 74% of its members voting to approve the CLA, admitted that some of its members were disappointed by the new agreement. “We share your frustration about the past year, but we are convinced that we achieved the best possible result under these circumstances,” it said.
In comparison, 77% of VNC’s members voted in favor of the new agreement.
Patrick Pit, the Chairman of FNV Cabine, also conceded that the year was not easy for the union, which was largely dominated by the negotiations of the new CLA.
“KLM began the negotiations with a zero-sum plan and substantial cuts; we worked hard to maintain purchasing power, sustainable employability, good retirement benefits, and a focus on diversity and inclusion.”
Pit pointed out that while KLM’s flights “are full,” they are not always profitable. “Many costs continue to rise, and airport fees charged by Schiphol have increased significantly,” he added, noting that these developments have been a “serious concern.”
KLM unveiled its Q3 financial results on November 6, with the airline ending the quarter with an operating profit of €341 million ($399.9 million), a 14% decrease compared to Q3 2024. “This decline is mainly attributable to rising costs, including higher airport charges and labour costs, as well as operational disruptions,” it said.
Marjan Rintel, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KLM, stated that while the Dutch airline’s revenue grew slightly as it welcomed more passengers, “high costs and operational challenges continue to trouble us.”
“Our 'Back on Track' programme is delivering results, but we still have a long way to go. We need to steer decisively and make clear choices to get KLM structurally back on track and ensure we can continue investing in our future.”
Compared to Q3 2024, KLM’s salaries and related costs, other operating expenses, and depreciation and amortization went up by 4%, 7.3%, and 18.8%, respectively, resulting in a Q3 operating margin of 9.5%, 1.6% lower year-on-year (YoY).
“KLM, as a connecting carrier, is impacted by a reduction in low-yielding passenger demand,” Air France-KLM’s report read, adding that premium and premium economy cabins had continued to perform strongly.
KLM will face further cost pressures when the Netherlands introduces a new, distance-based flight tax from January 1, 2027. Instead of a blanket per-passenger tax of €29.40 ($34.5), each traveler on short, medium, and long-haul flights will be taxed €29.40, €47.24 ($55.43), and €70.86 ($83.15), respectively.
In September, Rintel blasted the change, pointing out that the new levy will make “the Netherlands the most expensive country in the European Union for air travel, no matter the distance.”
“As a result, even more Dutch travelers are choosing to drive across the border to fly from airports in neighboring countries.”
On December 12, KLM called for the Dutch government to create a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) fund, which would, for example, incentivize airlines to increase their SAF blends, with the fund drawing revenues from the Dutch aviation tax.
Rytis Beresnevicius
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