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		</div><p>The Dutch government has said it will throw national carrier KLM a 3.4 billion euro (£3 billion) lifeline to help the airline survive the aviation slump caused by the coronavirus pandemic.</p>
<p>Finance minister Wopke Hoekstra said the support package is made up of a one billion euro (£903 million) loan and 2.4 billion euro (£2.1 billion) in guarantees for bank loans.<br />
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<p>There are strings attached to the bailout, with the Dutch government setting conditions including that KLM must cut costs by 15%, improve the airline’s sustainability and reduce the number of night flights it carries out at the national airport, Schiphol, on the outskirts of Amsterdam.</p>
<p>Mr Hoekstra said that the cost-cutting order means that job losses at the carrier, which employs some 30,000 people, are “likely unavoidable”.</p>
<p>KLM CEO Pieter Elbers said the package was necessary to help KLM recover from the crisis that has kept some 90% of its planes on the ground during the global pandemic. Airlines around the world are forecast to lose 84 billion dollars (£67.6 billion) this year, with revenue halved.</p>
<p>Mr Elbers said: “This is a very important step and I express my gratitude on behalf of all KLM colleagues to the Dutch state and the banks for their confidence in our organization and our future.”</p>
<p>The deal includes appointing a “state agent” to oversee how the package is spent and ensure KLM sticks to the conditions.</p>
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<p>KLM is in a partnership with French carrier Air France. The French government has pledged seven billion euro (£6.3 billion) in loans and loan guarantees to the carrier.</p>
<p>The Dutch announcement came a day after shareholders of German carrier Lufthansa approved a nine billion euro (£8.13 billion) rescue package that will see the German government take a 20% stake, after management told them the airline was running out of money and faced years of reduced demand for air travel.</p>
<p>The Dutch government said that the package must be approved by the European Commission.</p>
<p>“We hope and expect that will happen in coming days,” Mr Hoekstra said.</p>
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