KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has announced that it will start operating an MD-11 aircraft from Accra to Amsterdam in response to the increase in traffic on that and other international routes.

The aircraft will start operations in October this year to service the winder schedule. A release signed by the general manager of KLM in charge of West Africa, Mr. Marco Redeker, said the MD-11 has a capacity of 31 business class and 251 economy class seats, as compared to the Boeing 767 currently plying the route, which has a capacity of 30 business class and 190 economy class seats.

?The upgrade of the aircraft does not only mean a substantial increate of capacity but also a major improvement in comfort for passengers, the release said. KLM currently has about 19 per cent share of passenger traffic at the Kotoka International Airport, with the introduction of a bigger carrier, the management believes that the airline could further attract up to 25 per cent of the market share at Kotoka.

The statement disclosed that in November, the airline would celebrate 44 years of uninterrupted services from Ghana to the Netherlands, saying, ?The introduction of the MD-11 on a daily basis is the start of the new phase in the long history of KLM in Ghana and shows the commitment of KLM to the Ghanaian market.

KLM and its partner, Kenya Airways, offer daily flights from Accra to Amsterdam and four flights a week to Nairobi, Kenya. From Amsterdam, the airline connects to more than 400 destinations worldwide, together with its partners, Northwest Airlines and from Nairobi; the airline connects to many destination within Africa, the Middle East and Far East.