KLM will no longer offer tax-free articles for sale on its European flights from July, and will end sales on intercontinental flights from January, 2020.
“Because the current sales process no longer meet today's customer requirements, we have decided, after extensive deliberation, to bring this to an end,” says Miriam Kartman, Executive Vice President, KLM Inflight Services.
A statement from the airline says that customers have grown used to being able to find products online, at the lowest price, and that competition with product ranges at airports is growing.
The airline is currently looking for alternative forms of travel retail, with Kartman adding: “We will shortly be launching several pilot projects to this end. Customer convenience and a wide range of products are central to this.”
