KLM NAMES AIRCRAFT AFTER JASPER NATIONAL PARK

Posted on 04/07/2016 | About Edmonton, Alberta

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines recently added an 11th Boeing 777-300 to its fleet. The aircraft bearing registration PH-BVP now also displays Jasper National Park’s name on its fuselage as the airline traditionally names this fleet type with famous world heritage sites and nature reserves.

Jasper National Park is the largest of Canada's Rocky Mountain Parks with vast alpine meadows, glaciers and windswept ridges covering 11,228 square kilometers (about 4250 square miles) in all. 

Just a short drive from Edmonton, the park is home to black and grizzly bears, wolves, elk, moose and woodland caribou, which is a species at risk. Jasper has the most expansive trail network of any Canadian national park with nearly 1000 km of spectacular trails to explore as they wind through valleys, subalpine forest and alpine terrain, with many not far from campgrounds and hotels. “Parks Canada is honoured by this dedication, which showcases the reputation of Jasper National Park and the larger Rocky Mountain UNESCO World Heritage Site,” says Alan Fehr, field unit superintendent for Jasper National Park. “Jasper is a special place and we invite Canadians and visitors from around the world to experience and learn more about this incredible natural and cultural area.” 

“With the numerous natural reserves and parks in this country, we would need a 100+ B 777 fleet to highlight all that Canada has to offer to travellers” says Jean-Noel Rault, vice-president and general manager AIR FRANCE KLM in Canada. 

“We are proud to be honoring Jasper National Park following the May 2015 opening of our fifth gateway in Canada: Edmonton.” 

"This is a real compliment from KLM as well as a commitment to Edmontonians, northern Albertans and western Canadians,” says Tom Ruth, President and CEO of Edmonton International Airport. KLM has a long tradition of naming its aircraft. Its Airbus A-330s are named for City Squares. 

The B-737s are christened after birds. The brand new Dreamliners bear flower names. Carnation, Sunflower, and Bougainvillea are the first to have been recognized. 

The B-747s are named after cities. Vancouver is featured on PH-BFV and Calgary on PH-BCC making Jasper National Park the third KLM aircraft displaying a Canadian reference. Names are submitted by fans or by the airline’s staff. The Board of KLM acts as jury to choose the names of the newcomers to grow its 114 aircraft fleet.