In all the "mergers , take overs etc." that I've seen or been involved with the rhetoric from management has all been the same. "No change" "No job losses " "Better for the long term" They are the mantra from on top. But give it 6 months and the changes start first in admin, reservations, and maintenance with rationalization in these areas bringing job relocation and / or loss. After all the aim is to be more efficient (read.. more profit , bigger bonus) and the easiest way for management to achieve this is trhough restructuring in areas where there is duplication of services. How you reduce the work force is then just a matter of the right spin. BUT JOBS WILL BE LOST!! Will they be French ones or Dutch ones ? Knowing the French readiness to be militant in the work force(STRIKE) and the Dutch willingness to concilliate , (form a working group to study the problem) you can draw your own conclusions. Also remember the value of a guarantee given by any politician !!
Give it 5- 10 years and reread the above article and see just how much is reflected in reality. But if history is any thing to go by I bet that KLM then, will not much resemble the KLM of present . And not in a good way. We can only hope that this is the exception that proves the rule and that in the long term both sides profit.