And even when he makes announcements to passengers, Willem-Alexander says that as a co-pilot he doesn’t have to give his name. So while some people recognise his voice, it does not happen often. “Most people don’t listen anyway,” he added. King Willem-Alexander – a certified airline pilot who regularly flies for KLM – also took part in a training mission. He was briefed ahead of the mission and debriefed afterwards with all the pilots involved. During the briefings, the Commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force and the Commander of the airbase were also present. After the evaluation of the training mission, King Willem-Alexander also spoke about the future of the F-16.
While it is no secret that Willem-Alexander is a qualified pilot who sometimes flew KLM passenger flights, it was not previously clear how frequently it happened. Willem-Alexander said he is rarely recognised by passengers, especially since security was tightened on board planes in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. “Before September 11, the cockpit door was open. People regularly came to have a look and thought it was nice or surprising that I was sitting there,” he said, adding that very few people recognise him as he walks through Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport in KLM uniform and cap.
