Obituary: Aviation pioneer Martin Schröder passed away

Last Wednesday (02OCT24), Martin Schröder, the Amsterdam-bornfounder and former CEO of Martinair, died at the age of 93. European and global civil aviation mourn one of its greatest representatives. The founding generation that took aviation to a new level in the 1960s and 1970s, has lost one of its leading minds and inspirers.

Martin Schröder, rest in peace  –  photo: AF-KLM-Martinair Cargo

It was a time of inventors and visionaries: the Schröder generation included outstanding names such as Freddie Laker, who was one of the first airline owners to adopt the low cost/budget concept, or Joe Sutter, father of the Boeing 747 jumbo. The B747’s chapter ended on 30JAN23 in Seattle, with the delivery of the last jumbo ever built; a B747-8 freighter owned by Atlas Air and operated by Kühne+Nagel.
Freddie Laker, Joe Sutter, or Juan Terry Trippe, the founder of Pan American World Airways; their names are legendary, just as Martin Schröder’s is. In 1958, the Dutch national founded Martin’s Air Charter which later became Martinair.
Under his leadership, the company grew steadily, becoming a key player in both passenger and cargo transport – a testament to his spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. Schröder firmly believed that air travel should be accessible to all, and this belief lay at the heart of his life’s work. His fleet policy was based on diversity, depending on the intended use. This included Boeing 747-400F, McDonnell Douglas MD-11 and Boeing 767, utilized both for passenger and cargo transportation, DC10 and Airbus A320.
His determination and foresight not only shaped the development of Martinair, but also paved the way for its close cooperation with KLM and, eventually, for Air France KLM Martinair Cargo. Hence, his name continues to fly around the world, embedded in a strong network that belongs to the leading providers of air freight capacity.
“Martin Schröder will be remembered as a man who pursued his dreams with passion and perseverance. His name will remain closely linked to aviation in the Netherlands and beyond. His vision, courage and innovative spirit will continue to inspire us all,” states Adriaan den Heijer, EVP Air France KLM Cargo and Managing Director Martinair.
And today’s generation of aviation pioneers? They are, above all, figures who improve existing systems through innovations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, convert motors to burn H2 instead of kerosene, develop Delta-shaped aircraft, drones or e-powered planes. Martin Schröder and Freddie Laker were innovative and successful individualists. Today’s aviation pioneers, on the other hand, tend to be team players. The results of their work may be less spectacular, but they also contribute to making air travel and cargo transportation more sustainable, data-driven, and secure.
Martin Schröder leaves behind his wife, Tineke, their children and grandchildren.

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