KLM Beats Air France on Fiscal Year Profitability

KLM contributed more than Air France to the 2005-2006 operating profit of the merged group, La Tribune daily reported on Friday.

Citing a letter sent to Air France pilots by Bernard Pedamon, their board representative, La Tribune said that KLM contributed €504 million and Air France €432 million out of the €936 million in operating profit Air France-KLM generated in fiscal year 2005-2006.

It said that KLM´s operating margin was almost twice that of Air France at 7.9 percent in 2005/06.

The letter also showed that KLM achieved an operating margin of 7.9 percent against 4.1 percent for Air France.

“KLM´s performance is explained notably by its advance in using new technologies ... and its savings plan launched a year before it was bought by Air France,” La Tribune said.