Royal Dutch Airlines KLM Summer Service 1939

“Passengers are requested to be at the departure station or airport at least 15 minutes before departure.” [pg. 33]

This informative book of timetables and air routes was published in the Netherlands by Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) in 1939, celebrating its 20th year of service. It was distributed by U.S. Passenger Representatives for the Holland America Line, which offered steamship services to London and Amsterdam, primarily from the port of New York.

Thirty-four numbered panels provide an exhaustive list of timetables, corresponding strip maps, rates and fares, traveler’s information, and a list of KLM offices and agencies around the globe. The back cover shows a simple diagrammatic map of Europe that highlights KLM routes in operation. An inset in the lower left shows the short lines around Amsterdam, while a single service line on the right highlights service all the way to Sydney via Baghdad, Bangkok, and Batavia (among other stops).

Printed in Utrecht by J. Van Boekhoven in April of 1939 for the summer tourist season. Just four short months later, Hitler invaded Poland and precipitated World War II. Though flights over German and France were severely restricted, KLM continued to operate until the Netherlands was attacked in May of 1940.

Source.