KLM carried 16.6 million passengers in the first six months of the year, an increase of one million over the first half of 2017.

The Dutch flag carrier carried 3.6% more passengers in June this year, with capacity up 2.2% in available seat kilometres, according to a statement by the company on Tuesday. Consequently, load factor for June rose to a record 90.5% (89.5%).

Revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) rose by 5.4% on capacity 4.2% higher in the first six months compared to 2017.

‘The traffic figures confirm that all our hard work has paid off. KLM carried 3.3 million more passengers in the first half of 2018 than it did only four years ago in the first six months of 2014. That’s an impressive difference and an achievement everyone at KLM may be proud of,’ said KLM president Pieter Elbers.

Air France decline

KLM’s partner in the Franco-Dutch air alliance, Air France KLM, fared less well. Air France carried 4.7 million passengers in June, a 3% increase over the year-earlier month. There were fewer strikes which skewed monthly traffic figures earlier in the year.

Air France handled 24.5 million passengers in the first six months of the year, a 0.7% decline since the first half of 2017.

Air France KLM is seeking a new CEO ever since the abrupt departure of Jean-Marc Janaillac in May.

French newspaper Le Figaro reported on Monday that Catherine Guillouard, chief executive of French public transport group RATP, was being considered for the Air France KLM CEO position.

The French government has a stake of around 14% in Air France KLM, while Delta Airlines and China Eastern Airlines each hold 8.8%.