SCHIPHOL - KLM is cutting 250 non-operational office jobs in a further attempt to lower costs. “We will try to avoid forced layoffs, although we cannot rule this out in advance,” Marjan Rintel, CEO of the Dutch airline, said on Wednesday. 

“It is crucial for our future to structurally lower costs, which involves making painful choices,” Rintel said. “We will approach this process with the utmost care, in close consultation with the Works Council.” 

While these job cuts happen, KLM will continue recruiting staff for “operational jobs and positions that are difficult to fill in the current labor market,” Rintel added. This is to maintain the airline’s operational capacity as much as the tight labor market allows. 

The Dutch airline will not push office staff to retrain for roles in daily operations. “It is up to people to decide for themselves whether it is a good time for a career change,” a spokesperson said to NOS. 

The airline has informed the Works Council and the trade unions about the coming job cuts. 

In October, KLM announced several measures to improve its financial position and operational performance. According to the airline, these measures will improve performance by around 450 million euros. The layoffs are part of a further detailing of these measures.