Airline KLM was right to fire a pilot who spent 20 years intimidating and sexually harassing his colleagues, a court in Amsterdam has ruled.

The list of allegations against the man, who contested the dismissal, include rape, stalking, threatening behaviour towards passengers and ground staff, unsolicited touching and showing pornographic material, between 2002 to 2022.

KLM had issued various reprimands and offered him coaching sessions but the man’s behaviour was allowed to continue, ultimately resulting in his dismissal.

The pilot denied most of the charges, claiming his colleagues mounted a smear campaign against him. He claimed that a colleague who accused him of rape, which led to an investigation but not a prosecution, made up a story about him having loud sex with a prostitute at a hotel.

The man’s demand for €1.5 million in severance pay was also denied by the court, which awarded a reduced sum of €200,000.