KLM Royal Dutch Airlines made quite the buzz over the first weekend of May 2025 when they had to cancel a total of five international flights due to maintenance issues with seven of their Boeing 787 aircraft. This unexpected turn of events left over 650 passengers stranded at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) on May 3, 2025, as the airline had to take several planes out of service. Among the affected flights were journeys to Mexico City (MEX), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), and Portland (PDX), with passengers destined for the United States experiencing delays ranging from three to five hours, while the flight to Mexico, carrying 250 individuals, was postponed for a full day.

Things didn't fare much better the next day, May 4, 2025, when KLM had to cancel two more international flights for urgent maintenance on additional Boeing 787 aircraft, as reported by the Dutch press agency Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau (ANP), disrupting travels to Shanghai and Los Angeles. Thankfully, the approximately 200 passengers per flight were swiftly rebooked on alternative services to minimize the inconvenience caused.

These unexpected flight cancellations stem from the discovery of incorrect maintenance procedures on certain parts of the seven affected Boeing 787 aircraft. While KLM assured that there were no safety concerns associated with the situation, they promptly took action to accelerate the maintenance process on these planes and grounded them temporarily. A KLM spokesperson told Pilotcenter.net News, "Although there are no safety risks, the seven aircraft are being maintained at an accelerated pace and will remain on the ground in the meantime." The airline also pledged to rectify the maintenance issues on the impacted 787s as per the correct guidelines at the earliest opportunity to ensure passengers' safety and comfort.