KLM - Ready Entry
Joined: Feb 2026
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Germany
Good to know!
I am as well no dutch speaking and got two weeks ago that i am on the list for the next process.
So i guess it takes a couple of time until i will get an invitation, when i see the comments here.
Thanks!
I am as well no dutch speaking and got two weeks ago that i am on the list for the next process.
So i guess it takes a couple of time until i will get an invitation, when i see the comments here.
Thanks!
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Germany
Hi all,
I'm flying for a European airline on the A330 (+ A320 still in my license) with about 3000h TT, (1200h A320 and 500h A330). I applied for KLM in 2025 and got a job offer recently. Even got to choose the fleet (737, A320, Embraer or even as SO on the A330). Not being Dutch, I decided that learning a new language and culture is hard enough so I opted for the A320 because it is well known to me and I did not want to sit in second row again without doing any landings as SO on the A330.
The terms (salary, peace of mind with a company too big to fail, upgrade opportunities, loss of license, free commuting - all better than at my current company...) seem just too good to say no to the KLM offer but I still have some concerns:
1. Right now I am flying longhaul on a great network with great people (speaking the same language), amazing destinations and a modern fleet. Still very fresh on the A330 (7 months) but I absolutely love the lifestyle and seeing the world. Thats why I became a pilot... From what I have heard it takes around 10 years to get back to longhaul at KLM. Is that true? I heard rumors that KLM might introduce MFF with the introduction of the A350. Did you hear about that? Could this be an option to get back to longhaul sooner?
2. I am not planning to relocate. As KLM offers free commuting, I would probably keep my house and stay where I am. 1 hour flight or 4 hour commute by car. But is shorthaul at KLM even commutable? Or are there a lot of single-day-trips? Especially on a big airport like AMS with long ways?
3. Can anyone give a hint where to learn Dutch very fast and efficiently to native speaker level? Using Duolingo for half a year now but this covers only basics. Not speaking the language and not feeling "home" is one of my biggest concerns. I heard the "Dutchies" are very welcoming, friendly and fun to work with. I think to fully integrate into the environment in the cockpit but also when being on a layover etc. you need to speak the language ASAP.
4. Another big concern is that I would have to quite my job very soon (3 months notice period) but KLM will only send a contract 2 weeks before training. What if something silly happens in the meantime in terms of war or whatever and I have no job at all because KLM decides to cancel training and my old Company would not take me back either after leaving? Also, in times of all the political craziness around the world - is it a good idea to leave a company with 3,5 years of seniority and about 90 FO's behind me on the list to start again from the end of the list at KLM?
And before you ask - here is why I even think about changing companies and leaving a job I actually love and appreciate:
- Salary is more on the lower end of payscales in Europe
- Limited Upgrade options in the future if only little to no expansion (only 20 captains retiring in the next 7 years, 240 FO's in front of me)
- Company still trying to make profit after heavy restructure and will be sold in the future. No body knows who will be the new owner.
- Whatever got cancelled in the past during COVID and an almost-bankcruptcy never came back (13th+14th salary, requests that are actually being granted, off days between rotations...)
- Commuting is very tiring and expensive to my homebase - approx. 800€/month plus hotel if needed until now when flying. In the future there is no flight connection so I would have to take a 7 hour train commute in the future wich is the hell when commuting 4 times a month (56 hours a month on trains).
What would you do? Thanks for your thoughts - its a tough decision. Although conditions are not the best - I love my job and enjoy going to work every day. Just looking for a more stable employer and better salary on the long run. Being 32 years old, this will probably be a decision for a lifetime.
I'm flying for a European airline on the A330 (+ A320 still in my license) with about 3000h TT, (1200h A320 and 500h A330). I applied for KLM in 2025 and got a job offer recently. Even got to choose the fleet (737, A320, Embraer or even as SO on the A330). Not being Dutch, I decided that learning a new language and culture is hard enough so I opted for the A320 because it is well known to me and I did not want to sit in second row again without doing any landings as SO on the A330.
The terms (salary, peace of mind with a company too big to fail, upgrade opportunities, loss of license, free commuting - all better than at my current company...) seem just too good to say no to the KLM offer but I still have some concerns:
1. Right now I am flying longhaul on a great network with great people (speaking the same language), amazing destinations and a modern fleet. Still very fresh on the A330 (7 months) but I absolutely love the lifestyle and seeing the world. Thats why I became a pilot... From what I have heard it takes around 10 years to get back to longhaul at KLM. Is that true? I heard rumors that KLM might introduce MFF with the introduction of the A350. Did you hear about that? Could this be an option to get back to longhaul sooner?
2. I am not planning to relocate. As KLM offers free commuting, I would probably keep my house and stay where I am. 1 hour flight or 4 hour commute by car. But is shorthaul at KLM even commutable? Or are there a lot of single-day-trips? Especially on a big airport like AMS with long ways?
3. Can anyone give a hint where to learn Dutch very fast and efficiently to native speaker level? Using Duolingo for half a year now but this covers only basics. Not speaking the language and not feeling "home" is one of my biggest concerns. I heard the "Dutchies" are very welcoming, friendly and fun to work with. I think to fully integrate into the environment in the cockpit but also when being on a layover etc. you need to speak the language ASAP.
4. Another big concern is that I would have to quite my job very soon (3 months notice period) but KLM will only send a contract 2 weeks before training. What if something silly happens in the meantime in terms of war or whatever and I have no job at all because KLM decides to cancel training and my old Company would not take me back either after leaving? Also, in times of all the political craziness around the world - is it a good idea to leave a company with 3,5 years of seniority and about 90 FO's behind me on the list to start again from the end of the list at KLM?
And before you ask - here is why I even think about changing companies and leaving a job I actually love and appreciate:
- Salary is more on the lower end of payscales in Europe
- Limited Upgrade options in the future if only little to no expansion (only 20 captains retiring in the next 7 years, 240 FO's in front of me)
- Company still trying to make profit after heavy restructure and will be sold in the future. No body knows who will be the new owner.
- Whatever got cancelled in the past during COVID and an almost-bankcruptcy never came back (13th+14th salary, requests that are actually being granted, off days between rotations...)
- Commuting is very tiring and expensive to my homebase - approx. 800€/month plus hotel if needed until now when flying. In the future there is no flight connection so I would have to take a 7 hour train commute in the future wich is the hell when commuting 4 times a month (56 hours a month on trains).
What would you do? Thanks for your thoughts - its a tough decision. Although conditions are not the best - I love my job and enjoy going to work every day. Just looking for a more stable employer and better salary on the long run. Being 32 years old, this will probably be a decision for a lifetime.
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: holland
Good morning,
I used to be in your position and retired last year so the answers might not be fully up to date
1)In your situation and with your experience (you have flown jets and know the game with tt3500hrs) go for the lifestyle and ask for a so position on either the A330/350 or the B777/787
You can then commute way easier than on the short haul fleet and basically live wherever you want with the xcm benefit
Also consider that pay wise it is exactly the same whether you fly Europe or long haul ,as you are 32 years old you will have a 33 year career because by the time you consider retiring it will be upped to 65 from 58 now if you work 100%
2)see 1
3)If you are single ,date a dutch girl or boy whatever your taste is (they love D E I) if not practice as much as possible with the Dutches they will appreciate the effort and as you are German there is a lot of overlap between the languages
4)That is a risk and they will not give you a contract sooner, when I got hired in 93 it was 2 weeks before starting date that I got the contract
and my notice period was 2 months
when covid happened they also (like all the airlines)stopped hiring but in all fairness they extended the offers till after the pandemic and everybody who was still interested got hired.
Ultimately the decision is yours but it is a good company and you can develop yourself with a lot of "nevenfuncties" such as instruction or office jobs but you can pass your 33 years just showing up and do your job as a regular pilot .
Ultimately nobody cares
Just get in and continue breathing ,it is compared with your present company way bigger and as a result you can sense it to be more impersonal but I guess that is the same with Lufthansa,Air France or BA
Good luck with your choice
I used to be in your position and retired last year so the answers might not be fully up to date
1)In your situation and with your experience (you have flown jets and know the game with tt3500hrs) go for the lifestyle and ask for a so position on either the A330/350 or the B777/787
You can then commute way easier than on the short haul fleet and basically live wherever you want with the xcm benefit
Also consider that pay wise it is exactly the same whether you fly Europe or long haul ,as you are 32 years old you will have a 33 year career because by the time you consider retiring it will be upped to 65 from 58 now if you work 100%
2)see 1
3)If you are single ,date a dutch girl or boy whatever your taste is (they love D E I) if not practice as much as possible with the Dutches they will appreciate the effort and as you are German there is a lot of overlap between the languages
4)That is a risk and they will not give you a contract sooner, when I got hired in 93 it was 2 weeks before starting date that I got the contract
and my notice period was 2 months
when covid happened they also (like all the airlines)stopped hiring but in all fairness they extended the offers till after the pandemic and everybody who was still interested got hired.
Ultimately the decision is yours but it is a good company and you can develop yourself with a lot of "nevenfuncties" such as instruction or office jobs but you can pass your 33 years just showing up and do your job as a regular pilot .
Ultimately nobody cares
Just get in and continue breathing ,it is compared with your present company way bigger and as a result you can sense it to be more impersonal but I guess that is the same with Lufthansa,Air France or BA
Good luck with your choice
Joined: Jan 2025
Posts: 18
Likes: 18
From: EU
Don't know about that one 
In all seriousness, I'll try and answer what I can. It would be great if someone who also did ready entry replied to you, because there are a lot of them now. I'm guessing from your profile Dusseldorf/Condor? If so, you certainly wouldn't be the first German to do this. We have about 30 Aerologic FOs making the switch, also some people formerly from German Airways who commute from DUS (by car, ouch!).
Usually, yes. Depends mostly on the economy, FO 778 went to 12 years, now back down to 7 years. Realistic to expect 10 years based purely on retirements. The A330/350 (A330 leaving anyway) will be the same probably. Historically, A330 was about a year earlier because it did medium and not longhaul (=less and suckier destinations and less leave). For the introduction, there will be Single Fleet Flying of the 330/350 like they did with the 777/787, so you'll be able to fly them combined (based on amount of aircraft/difference courses given to crews).
MFF A350/A321 is something that's being discussed, but it would involve completely rearranging the CLA with regards to seniority pay, WRR (duties and rest, EUR has different system compared to ICA), promotion balance/opportunities with regard to KLC etc. So, in my opinion not very likely, and if it happens we're talking about a timeline beyond 2030.
It depends. On the 737/321 soft Crewbids for say 4-day trips (=max trip length, however max working days =6), works quite well. We have a lot of Belgian colleagues that do this, but their commute is a bit shorter by car. Also people (even Dutch) who commute from Scandinavia because they started their careers at Norwegian and decided to stick around there. And some ex-Aerologic people who commute from wherever in Germany (Berlin for example).
KLC Crewbid scores have always been lower historically, and I can't really speak to that from experience, so there might be an issue getting longer trips vs. a couple of 2-3 day trips in sequence that would necessitate hotels/commuting. What I do know is that KLC does 5-day trips and there's more schedule changes within those days (plugging the gaps everywhere on the EUR network
).
In any case, you said you were going to the A321, right now there might be a bit more shorter trips due to having a smaller fleet. This will stabilize in the future and mature like the 737, I'm sure. You will find that people who commute on EUR-fleet -almost without exception- work parttime. Usually 80%, which will give you 4 days work = 4 days off guaranteed, or 5/5, or 6/5. Single day trips exist but are rare, even if you bid for it you're not going to get those. They mostly go to training, checks, keeping office pilots current etc.
You are very welcome, lot's of non-Dutch flying for KLM, also in the past. Integrating is probably two things: we're a bit flexible in how we operate (egalitarian/common sense), and indeed the language. I wrote something about that here: Fly for KLM… no Dutch language required.
KLM offers a language course from what I understand, and the people who have joined so far, quite a lot of them are almost fluent already in such a short time. Really amazing, and something we all respect. If you want to do it yourself (expensive) but the most famous one is: https://www.reginacoeli.com/. The Queen went there when she came from Argentina. But doing it through KLM should be fine I think.
Unfortunately, they can be sucky on this point. Also towards their 'own' cadets from the Flight Academy. Until you've signed, you're not in. This is a risk (in general I guess, reading PPrune), but at the moment they're still short of crew due to all sorts of reasons (parttime exploding, introducing A321 and A350 at the same time, scheduling inefficiencies etc.). If you're starting soon, then it should be fine. If they really had issues, they would've stopped pilot recruitment, which they have not as far as I'm aware. At 32, you have about 28 years left assuming pension at 60 (possible to go to 62 at KLM). You could even make Captain longhaul (currently 22 years). Total 3600 pilots, still recruiting. So compared to smallerish airlines, I'd say you're safer and still have a huge potential career ahead of you here.
KLM IS a job for life as a pilot (and not only pilots).
In all seriousness, I'll try and answer what I can. It would be great if someone who also did ready entry replied to you, because there are a lot of them now. I'm guessing from your profile Dusseldorf/Condor? If so, you certainly wouldn't be the first German to do this. We have about 30 Aerologic FOs making the switch, also some people formerly from German Airways who commute from DUS (by car, ouch!).
MFF A350/A321 is something that's being discussed, but it would involve completely rearranging the CLA with regards to seniority pay, WRR (duties and rest, EUR has different system compared to ICA), promotion balance/opportunities with regard to KLC etc. So, in my opinion not very likely, and if it happens we're talking about a timeline beyond 2030.
KLC Crewbid scores have always been lower historically, and I can't really speak to that from experience, so there might be an issue getting longer trips vs. a couple of 2-3 day trips in sequence that would necessitate hotels/commuting. What I do know is that KLC does 5-day trips and there's more schedule changes within those days (plugging the gaps everywhere on the EUR network
).In any case, you said you were going to the A321, right now there might be a bit more shorter trips due to having a smaller fleet. This will stabilize in the future and mature like the 737, I'm sure. You will find that people who commute on EUR-fleet -almost without exception- work parttime. Usually 80%, which will give you 4 days work = 4 days off guaranteed, or 5/5, or 6/5. Single day trips exist but are rare, even if you bid for it you're not going to get those. They mostly go to training, checks, keeping office pilots current etc.
3. Can anyone give a hint where to learn Dutch very fast and efficiently to native speaker level?....Not speaking the language and not feeling "home" is one of my biggest concerns. I heard the "Dutchies" are very welcoming, friendly and fun to work with. I think to fully integrate into the environment in the cockpit but also when being on a layover etc. you need to speak the language ASAP.
KLM offers a language course from what I understand, and the people who have joined so far, quite a lot of them are almost fluent already in such a short time. Really amazing, and something we all respect. If you want to do it yourself (expensive
) but the most famous one is: https://www.reginacoeli.com/. The Queen went there when she came from Argentina. But doing it through KLM should be fine I think.4. Another big concern is that I would have to quite my job very soon (3 months notice period) but KLM will only send a contract 2 weeks before training. What if something silly happens in the meantime in terms of war or whatever and I have no job at all because KLM decides to cancel training and my old Company would not take me back either after leaving? Also, in times of all the political craziness around the world - is it a good idea to leave a company with 3,5 years of seniority and about 90 FO's behind me on the list to start again from the end of the list at KLM?
KLM IS a job for life as a pilot (and not only pilots).
