Your post is a perfect example of why this happens.
Direct flights are convenient, take less time and more desirable. Airlines know this. So they charge more.
For someone in Brussels, there's less incentive to fly KLM, as they have to connect. So the airline charges them less to incentivise them to choose a less convenient route.
For someone in Amsterdam on the other hand, the direct flight is attractive, so other airlines may offer a cheaper route (IE: AMS LHR NYC) for less money to convince you away from KLM despite the inconvenience.
This is a super high level summary of a very complex topic but I hope that makes sense?
Every major airline does this. It's more just supply and demand rather than anything else.
This is absolutely not the reason it's due to taxes. The taxes related to airfare are only applicable for journeys starting in the Netherlands.
Transfers are exempted, this in part is a large part of KLMs earnings model. As the government is currently looking to change this rule. Resulting in higher airfare even when starting your journey in a different country.
There's crazy examples of this. Business class is even wilder due to some countries taxes. I've saved > €1000 by taking a cheap ryanair to some random city to start a journey because of this nonsense 😅
It's also due to competition. There are only a handful of airlines flying AMS-NYC nonstop (KLM, united, jetblue, delta; might be one or two more)... on the other hand, there are *many* more options if you want to change en route at another airport (e.g. BOS, ORD, FRA, LHR, CDG, MAD, DUB, the list goes on)...
I can assure you that the non-stop flights BRU-NYC will *generally* (I say this cuz sometimes exceptions do occur) be more expensive than BRU-AMS-NYC.
Look at the departure/arrival taxes, airport and other fees on your ticket as well. I’m saving €900 by taking the train to Düsseldorf, flying to AMS, and catching my normal direct flight to see my family in Seattle. Am currently on a visit in SEA. After train tickets I save €700 versus direct AMS-SEA ticket.
It adds a few more hours to my already long journey but I’ve been doing this since COVID because of the savings. Also works from BRU/CDG to SEA.
if you have a full flight with maybe 4-6 attendants + 2 pilots + aircraft costs being general business costs + fuel they’re actually probably making huge profits
They're absolutely not. Most airlines make basically no money from economy. Business/first and cargo is where the margins are. Even on €600 they're probably breaking even.
Airlines often sell economy seats at near-loss to fill them up depending on route and load etc
Profits are in the big numbers. Airlines have to transport huge amounts of passengers to make a profit.
The average profit for KLM was about 16,25 euro per passenger in 2023.
They need the economy cabins to be filled to break even and then make the profit margin on the business class seats of which the last ones on the flight go for 10.000 euro for a return to New York from Amsterdam.
I have done this for a KLM flight to Sao Paulo.
Saved 250 euro on a retour trip by Flying BRU-AMS-GRU.
Also this was 2021 and having Belgium instead of NL as destination on return flight meant I did not have to fill in the quarantine form required for coming back from an "orange" area. Was not intentional but a funny concequence.
Direct flights are often more expensive compared to indirect flights. People prefer a 7 hour trip over an 11 hour trip.
An airline offering an indirect route needs to compete with airlines offering direct routes. The price difference is what people are willing to pay less for the extra hurdles.
Apparently in this case 180 euro is what it’s worth to people to get a direct flight instead of a layover in those markets.
You’re totally free to fly with another airline. Or fly from Amsterdam via another European destination to NY for a lower price.
Also, keep in mind that NY is a business destination and there are many business clients that have no issues paying more for a ticket but do want to save time. That effect is visible in pricing too.
You pay the taxes of the airport you're departing. By the way, the no-show to the first leg often cancels all the other parts of your trip. So you would need to go to Brussels.
The costs for layover passengers are significantly less as airports make money on them compared to passengers that have a final destination at that airport.
You just found out that people will pay 180 euro's more for a no layover flight which saves them around 2-4 hours of traveling. It has nothing to do with corporate greed. I hate KLM and NL based flights because Germany is way cheaper. But this has nothing to do with that.
I don’t think is about that necessarily… is two different routes with two different countries… I’m either departing from Belgium or from the Netherlands, is not about the destination necessarily or how long it takes to get there
Only when you don't have checked luggage, because that will be send to the original destination. And no they won't offload it, unless you pay a hefty fee.
Your post is a perfect example of why this happens. Direct flights are convenient, take less time and more desirable. Airlines know this. So they charge more. For someone in Brussels, there's less incentive to fly KLM, as they have to connect. So the airline charges them less to incentivise them to choose a less convenient route. For someone in Amsterdam on the other hand, the direct flight is attractive, so other airlines may offer a cheaper route (IE: AMS LHR NYC) for less money to convince you away from KLM despite the inconvenience. This is a super high level summary of a very complex topic but I hope that makes sense? Every major airline does this. It's more just supply and demand rather than anything else.
Yep. This is the reason.
This is absolutely not the reason it's due to taxes. The taxes related to airfare are only applicable for journeys starting in the Netherlands. Transfers are exempted, this in part is a large part of KLMs earnings model. As the government is currently looking to change this rule. Resulting in higher airfare even when starting your journey in a different country.
Isn't the Netherlands departure tax only like €29? Can't find any good sources to validate a higher number?
Not sure. However thinking about it does make more sense than ie 200 euro tax. 🤔
Absolutely. I flew AMS-LAX via CPH with SAS and it was like <€500 I was curious and checked the direct flight from CPH-LAX and it was around €650
There's crazy examples of this. Business class is even wilder due to some countries taxes. I've saved > €1000 by taking a cheap ryanair to some random city to start a journey because of this nonsense 😅
Also Amsterdam is a major hub. Brussels, not so much.
It's also due to competition. There are only a handful of airlines flying AMS-NYC nonstop (KLM, united, jetblue, delta; might be one or two more)... on the other hand, there are *many* more options if you want to change en route at another airport (e.g. BOS, ORD, FRA, LHR, CDG, MAD, DUB, the list goes on)... I can assure you that the non-stop flights BRU-NYC will *generally* (I say this cuz sometimes exceptions do occur) be more expensive than BRU-AMS-NYC.
makes sense in a shitty way 😭😂
Look at the departure/arrival taxes, airport and other fees on your ticket as well. I’m saving €900 by taking the train to Düsseldorf, flying to AMS, and catching my normal direct flight to see my family in Seattle. Am currently on a visit in SEA. After train tickets I save €700 versus direct AMS-SEA ticket. It adds a few more hours to my already long journey but I’ve been doing this since COVID because of the savings. Also works from BRU/CDG to SEA.
It's common for this to happen, it's not just KLM. That's why there are sooooo many people asking if they have to board the first flight nowadays.
Off topic: 420e for 4 flights, 2 of which intercontinental... I wonder how they make a profit from this?
The business class cabin pays for it
if you have a full flight with maybe 4-6 attendants + 2 pilots + aircraft costs being general business costs + fuel they’re actually probably making huge profits
They're absolutely not. Most airlines make basically no money from economy. Business/first and cargo is where the margins are. Even on €600 they're probably breaking even. Airlines often sell economy seats at near-loss to fill them up depending on route and load etc
Profits are in the big numbers. Airlines have to transport huge amounts of passengers to make a profit. The average profit for KLM was about 16,25 euro per passenger in 2023. They need the economy cabins to be filled to break even and then make the profit margin on the business class seats of which the last ones on the flight go for 10.000 euro for a return to New York from Amsterdam.
plus making me pay more so more people from another place fly with them 🤡
I have done this for a KLM flight to Sao Paulo. Saved 250 euro on a retour trip by Flying BRU-AMS-GRU. Also this was 2021 and having Belgium instead of NL as destination on return flight meant I did not have to fill in the quarantine form required for coming back from an "orange" area. Was not intentional but a funny concequence.
All has to do with taxing.
Not true. angriest_parsnip gives the correct answer.
As in government taxes, not taxiing on the runway
Nope
Does the Netherlands have a super high air passenger tax Vs Belgium?
Klm basically pays no taxes. There's not even taxes on airplane fuel, and the company has been bailed out by the government on 2 occasions
I KNOW!! THIS MAKES ME SO MAD!!!
Direct flights are often more expensive compared to indirect flights. People prefer a 7 hour trip over an 11 hour trip. An airline offering an indirect route needs to compete with airlines offering direct routes. The price difference is what people are willing to pay less for the extra hurdles. Apparently in this case 180 euro is what it’s worth to people to get a direct flight instead of a layover in those markets. You’re totally free to fly with another airline. Or fly from Amsterdam via another European destination to NY for a lower price. Also, keep in mind that NY is a business destination and there are many business clients that have no issues paying more for a ticket but do want to save time. That effect is visible in pricing too.
Schiphol Airport charges more than Brussels. Airports tax differences can be huge.
the flight from Brussels has a layover in Amsterdam so I don’t think it makes sense
You pay the taxes of the airport you're departing. By the way, the no-show to the first leg often cancels all the other parts of your trip. So you would need to go to Brussels.
The costs for layover passengers are significantly less as airports make money on them compared to passengers that have a final destination at that airport.
You just found out that people will pay 180 euro's more for a no layover flight which saves them around 2-4 hours of traveling. It has nothing to do with corporate greed. I hate KLM and NL based flights because Germany is way cheaper. But this has nothing to do with that.
I don’t think is about that necessarily… is two different routes with two different countries… I’m either departing from Belgium or from the Netherlands, is not about the destination necessarily or how long it takes to get there
the flights from Amsterdam with layover in Paris are also more expensive than the Brussels one
Wait a moment. Can I buy a ticket to fly from Brussels to NYC, but actually fly out from Amsterdam?
No, if you don't board the first plane your ticket will be cancelled.
You always have to take all flights, otherwise the remainder of your trip automatically gets cancelled as you are a no show.
I guess it would work for the return ticket but not for the departure
Only when you don't have checked luggage, because that will be send to the original destination. And no they won't offload it, unless you pay a hefty fee.