Air France-KLM said to weigh changing Dutch head for new era

Air France-KLM is discussing whether to replace Dutch unit head Pieter Elbers over concerns he may not fully support CEO Ben Smith’s plans to strengthen ties between the two carriers, according to people familiar with the matter. Smith, who took the helm of the holding company in September, is keen for the heads of the Air France and KLM units to work closer together and back his drive to centralize more operations, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private plans. For example, the CEO wants to end the current practice of the airlines separately negotiating plane purchases and alliances, they said. French media La Tribune first reported Thursday that Smith may be pushing for Elbers’ departure. Elbers’s current contract expires at the time of KLM’s April annual general meeting and the deliberations are focused on whether or not to extend his four-year tenure, the people said. The Dutch national is concerned that KLM will be dragged down by its worse-performing partner, one person said. A spokeswoman for KLM said Elbers’s future was a matter of concern at the airline, and almost 13,000 people have so far signed an online petition calling for him to stay on. In a sign at how politically charged the issue has become in the Netherlands, the Dutch government sent a letter to KLM’s supervisory board to praise Elbers’ record, Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra said on Friday.<br/>