KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has confirmed it will start scheduled services to Fukuoka, Japan on April 3rd 2013.

KLM is the first airline to offer direct flights between Fukuoka and Europe.

Fukuoka is the third destination of KLM in Japan, after Tokyo and Osaka.

With this new route KLM offers a total of 21 weekly frequencies to Japan in the summer of 2013.

This additional destination in Japan will further strengthen the traditional solid trade relationship between Japan and The Netherlands.

Fukuoka is the economic centre of the Kyushu region, located in the south-west of Japan.

The region has a total population of around 15 million inhabitants.

It is the fourth largest Japanese passenger market to Europe.

Every year, 16 million passengers use Fukuoka Airport for domestic and international flights.

The new service will be operated three times a week. Flight KL869 will depart from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving in Fukuoka the following day.

The return flight, KL870, will depart from Fukuoka Airport on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, arriving in Amsterdam on the same day.

Flights will be operated with a Boeing 777-200ER, which can seat up to 318 passengers: 35 in World Business Class and 283 in Economy Class.

Pieter Elbers, chief operating officer at KLM said: “With this new destination Japanese passengers have more access to Amsterdam and other European destinations beyond this hub.

“This addition means a further strengthening of KLM’s network between Japan and the Netherlands.”