Air France-KLM leadership change: Bas ‘t Hooft takes over management in Frankfurt

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Management changes at Air France-KLM in Frankfurt and Budapest

On August 1, 2025, Bas ‘t Hooft will take over as head of the Air France–KLM Germany Directorate in Frankfurt am Main. He succeeds Carl Schelleman, who, after four years at the helm in Germany, is moving to the Central and Eastern Europe Directorate based in Budapest. This move will see both managers swap positions within the Group, promising new impetus and strategic developments in their respective areas of responsibility.

Professional career of Bas ‘t Hooft

Bas ‘t Hooft began his career at KLM in 2007 as a revenue analyst for the North Atlantic region in Amstelveen. He was promoted to Pricing Manager for the same area in September 2008 and assumed the position of Senior Ancillary Commerce Manager in November 2010. This enabled him to develop a deep understanding of pricing and ancillary services in air transport.

In August 2013, he joined Air France-KLM as Commercial Director for Southeast Asia, based in Bangkok, where he oversaw operations in the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. His responsibilities included developing and implementing commercial strategies in this dynamic and growing Asian market. Until July 2016, he demonstrated significant success in this role in market development and revenue growth.

‘t Hooft then returned to Europe as NDC Program Manager in August 2016. Based in Paris, he was responsible for developing the commercial merchandising strategy to promote the benefits of the New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard. NDC represents modernized distribution technology in the aviation sector and is crucial for the future-oriented marketing of airline tickets and ancillary services.

Before his appointment as General Manager for the Central and Eastern Europe region in August 2022, ‘t Hooft gained valuable international experience at Delta Air Lines in Atlanta. He served as Distribution Retail Director there from August 2019 to July 2020. He then held the same position at Air France-KLM in Amsterdam until July 2022, where he played a key role in implementing sales innovations.

Personal and values

Bas ‘t Hooft is married and the father of five children. In addition to his professional career, he enjoys various hobbies: he is an avid long-distance runner, a photographer, and a scuba diver. These diverse interests reflect his determination, creativity, and perseverance—qualities he also brings to his leadership role at Air France-KLM.

Significance of the leadership change for Air France-KLM

The change at the top of the German management is strategically well-considered. Bas ‘t Hooft’s extensive experience in various international markets and his knowledge of sales and digitalization offer the Air France-KLM Group the opportunity to further expand and innovate its presence in the German aviation market.

The restructuring and exchange between Frankfurt and Budapest will also strengthen the links between the regional directorates for Central and Eastern Europe and Germany. This could lead to more efficient coordination of business activities and better adaptation to the requirements of different markets.

Outlook for the future

With Bas ‘t Hooft at the helm of the German management, the focus will be on innovation, digital transformation, and customer-oriented sales strategies. ‘t Hooft is also expected to leverage his international experience to drive sustainable growth.

His commitment and expertise could make a decisive contribution to the success of Air France-KLM in Germany, particularly as the aviation industry recovers from pandemic-related challenges.

Summary

• Bas ‘t Hooft will take over the management of Air France-KLM Germany in Frankfurt from 1 August 2025
• Carl Schelleman moves to Budapest and swaps positions with ‘t Hooft
• Extensive experience in revenue management, pricing and commercial strategies
• International stations in Asia (Bangkok), Europe (Paris, Amsterdam) and the USA (Atlanta)
• Responsible for the introduction and promotion of NDC in sales
• Combination of professional experience and diverse personal interests
• Strategic step to strengthen Air France-KLM’s market position in Germany and Eastern Europe

This change in leadership is a significant step for Air France-KLM to become future-oriented and dynamic in a highly competitive market.