Look people, KLM is one of the best contracts in the industry. USA pays more yes, but in terms of job security, union support and just culture within the company, I don’t think there are many better airlines out there.
Can you come here and say “f*** it, I’m not learning Dutch”? Maybe. You would have to lie during the application process; tell them you’ll learn Dutch and then not do it (remember, they are explicitly asking you to learn Dutch as a condition of employment). Ok, say you do that. What will be the result?
a) You will not be promoted to Captain when your number is up; this requires Dutch B1 level.
b) You will lock yourself out of 99% of social interactions.
Let me explain point B. Will people not talk to you because you are a foreigner? No, of course not, no one thinks likes that. We have quite a number of foreigners, and I’ve flown with them; British, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Swiss, Canadian, South African. With very few exceptions; all speak Dutch. Even if they don’t speak it, they usually understand most of it. In any case, all are welcome and treated as just another colleague (comments that Dutch people don’t like foreigners are BS, people are judged on individual personality and merit).
However, 100% of ground staff in AMS speak Dutch. 99% of cabin crew speak Dutch (except some on Asian Cabin Crew contracts). 99% of pilots speak Dutch. The only people who maybe don’t speak Dutch are international Station Management and those working at the Air France-KLM HQ. Of course the French speak French amongst themselves.
So in the operation, you are dealing with 10 000 cabin crew and 3400 pilots who speak Dutch. And now you come along and expect them to switch to English. Sure, out of politeness the purser or flight attendant who comes to the flight deck in the middle of the night over the ocean will speak English with you. But when she gets into a more detailed conversation with your Dutch pilot colleague, guess what, she’s native in Dutch and not in English. So for that conversation, it’s necessary and more comfortable for her to switch to Dutch in order to be able to communicate in the nuances desired and required. And if you don’t understand Dutch....well...do you really expect her to do everything in English just because you’re present in the room? That will get tiring very fast.
And the same thing will apply during layovers when people are having drinks. People will simply speak in their native language if they can, especially if the entire airline is composed of native Dutch speakers. It is unreasonable to expect everyone around you to conform to you, just because you think everyone owes it to you to speak English, just because you are there. Next to that, the identity of the airline is explicitly Dutch. Not just in name, but also in the way we (especially our cabin crew and other staff) always try to do something extra for our passengers. So in this case, there is also a cultural element.
I’m not saying this out of chauvinism for the Dutch language (I could care less) or general arrogance because we think we’re better or whatever (we’re not, we’re just people), but this is simply how it works. Dutch directness for you. Have issues with communication like this? Well, then maybe the Netherlands and KLM aren’t for you
But if you come here, learn Dutch, and integrate? Well, then I think you'll have a great time and a great career with great colleagues
