A royal surprise: The king of the Netherlands may be your next KLM pilot
Many celebrities love flying airplanes — think John Travolta with a 707 parked at his house at a fly-in community in Florida. Or Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford and Clint Eastwood.
Usually, these A-listers will follow an inconspicuous flight training program and fly their own private planes, keeping their hobbies out of the public eye.
However, if you fly with KLM often, there's a small chance you will encounter a famous First Officer you might not expect: King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
Training to be a pilot
Having had a passion for flying all his life, the then-prince Willem-Alexander first got his license in 1985. In 2001, he fulfilled a dream by obtaining his airline transport pilot license (ATPL), or the license you need to operate passenger aircraft in commercial service.
He also got the Fokker 70 type rating. This choice of type rating was not coincidental — there were many Fokker 70 in the KLM fleet at the time. Also, the government plane PH-KBX (named after the Dutch Queen in those years, Koningin Beatrix) was a Fokker 70, meaning the King was able to fly the Dutch delegation or his family on state visits, vacations and other occasions. He regularly did just that.
To hold on to the ATPL, a commercial pilot needs to perform regular passenger service for at least 150 hours per year. The King fulfilled that obligation by acting as a guest pilot for Dutch airline KLM, flying passenger aircraft. The King had been sighted on flights from Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam to Istanbul (IST), Athens (ATH) and Nice (NCE), among others. To be able to perform his duties back home, it would not be feasible to fly long-haul or to a destination that requires an overnight rest.
The switch to Boeing
With the replacement of Fokker 70 aircraft by Embraers at KLM in recent years, the opportunity to maintain the type rating disappeared. This prompted the King to retrain for a new type rating: Boeing 737.
On average, the King flies a passenger service 737 as a guest pilot for KLM twice monthly. There is no way to know if your First Officer is of royal stature beforehand, unfortunately. Just keep your ears open sharply for a recognizable voice. Don't expect announcements containing "Your Highness speaking" of sorts, the King likes to remain unrecognizable. He is glad to be able to welcome the passengers simply "On behalf of captain and crew," he mentioned in Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf several years back.
A new government jet
The government Fokker 70 has been maintained by KLM. After the disappearance of Fokkers from its fleet, it was no longer cost-efficient to have the Fokker maintenance carried out by KLM crew. This meant a new government plane was needed, which coincidentally ended up being a 737 BBJ (Boeing Business Jet).
This allows the King to fly his delegation or family to destinations once again.
TPG reached out to KLM and the Government Information Service of the Netherlands, but both declined to comment on the King in his role as a pilot.
Meanwhile, the 737 commercial services with the King as a guest pilot are believed to continue, so next time you're flying on a KLM 737, keep an ear out for a surprise royal pilot.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.