Johannesburg, May 2025 | KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, in partnership with local premium carrier LIFT, gave South African travellers a surprise taste of Dutch hospitality at 36,000 feet with a one-of-a-kind inflight activation on flights departing from both Johannesburg and Cape Town.
In an exciting collaboration designed to bring the essence of the Netherlands to local skies, KLM and LIFT transformed two domestic flights, the 9:30 AM departure from Johannesburg to Cape Town and the 4:00 PM return, into a festive celebration of Dutch culture and world-class airline service.
As part of the experience, travellers enjoyed a surprise inflight bingo game with Dutch-themed prizes, followed by a curated onboard offering that included KLM’s signature amenity kit, an ornamental Dutch house, traditional Dutch stroopwafels, clog ornaments from the Dutch embassy, and a Tony’s Chocolonely chocolate. Each traveller received a specially designed Dutch-inspired boarding pass, and a few lucky passengers had caricatures of themselves drawn mid-flight by Palettes of Joy. To top it off, everyone on board was gifted an exclusive discount code offering 10% off a future KLM flight booking.
These days, it’s not just about how far or how often we travel — it’s about how well we travel. Both KLM and LIFT believe in slowing down, embracing the journey, and turning every trip into something meaningful. This one-of-a-kind activation is part of KLM’s commitment to strengthening its ties with the South African market and showcasing the airline’s award-winning hospitality – even before passengers board an international flight.
“This collaboration is all about celebrating the joy of travel, the magic of mid-air moments, and the spirit of partnership. We’re thrilled to work with KLM to bring such a fresh and fun Dutch-inspired experience to our passengers.” says Haydn Henning, Brand Manager at LIFT. “We are always looking at ways to ‘Surprise & Delight’ our passengers and what better way to do that than with a few rounds of Bingo, great prizes and good laughs at 36 000 feet!! We love treating our passengers with elevated onboard experiences.”
“South Africa is an incredibly important market for KLM, and this collaboration with LIFT is a fun and creative way for local travellers to engage with the KLM brand,” says Wilson Tauro, Country Manager Southern Africa at Air France-KLM. “Our goal was to deliver a memorable surprise that not only celebrated our Dutch roots but also gave passengers a little taste of what flying with KLM feels like. We’re proud to partner with an innovative airline like LIFT to bring this experience to life in such a uniquely local way.”
KLM continues to offer daily flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Amsterdam, connecting South Africans to over 160 destinations worldwide through the airline’s extensive global network and world-renowned service. LIFT continues to connect South Africans with its world-class service, offering convenient flights between Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.
To learn more or book your next international journey, visit www.klm.co.za — and for seamless local connections, fly LIFT by booking at www.lift.co.za.