A quarter-to-twelve-application for the most exciting job in pricing management

The journey that leads to a job you really like, is filled with interesting, touching and funny stories. The last-minute application Inga Schmidt filled out, is no exception. If it weren’t for her precise timing, she wouldn’t have been offered the job that makes her really happy.

‘During a working lunch I talked to a recruiter from another well-known airline. Basically, she described what seemed to me like the coolest job ever: competitive retail pricing within an airline. That was when I decided to go for the job. I had two applications within the airline industry, one of which was with KLM. Although I literally applied to the KLM job at quarter to twelve in the evening, they gave me the quickest and better offer.’

A quarter-to-twelve-application for the most exciting job in pricing management

The journey that leads to a job you really like, is filled with interesting, touching and funny stories. The last-minute application Inga Schmidt filled out, is no exception. If it weren’t for her precise timing, she wouldn’t have been offered the job that makes her really happy.

‘During a working lunch I talked to a recruiter from another well-known airline. Basically, she described what seemed to me like the coolest job ever: competitive retail pricing within an airline. That was when I decided to go for the job. I had two applications within the airline industry, one of which was with KLM. Although I literally applied to the KLM job at quarter to twelve in the evening, they gave me the quickest and better offer.’

Monitoring the market

Inga started working at the point of sale Nordics. Our joint Air France-KLM pricing team’s objective is to remain competitive by constantly scanning the market and making adjustments in the pricing strategy. Inga: ‘Something you would not expect, but pricing management requires a vast amount of manual adjustments. This is due to the variable components of which an airline ticket price is comprised, such as fuel charges and taxes, and the many different tools we use to monitor and compare and adjust our fares. Beside our daily tasks, there are many different projects that the teams are working on, for example “how we can optimize our tooling or monitor the market even better”. The combination of the market dynamics and my love for the product, makes that I really like what I do.’

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Dutch in a good way

Even for a German girl who studied in Groningen, it is easily understood why the KLM brand is such a big name in The Netherlands. ‘I’m not even Dutch, but I feel the “blauwe trots” – the blue company pride. It is something that bonds us and probably is why the internal events are a great way to connect. That is why I try not to miss any of the Young KLM events. Yeah, KLM can be really Dutch sometimes: in a good way. The willingness to connect is awesome; as soon as there are non-Dutch people in the room, colleagues switch to English immediately. In our current department which, by the way is a true collaborative between Air France and KLM, there are people from 15 different countries and my current manager is Dutch-Chinese, so yes KLM is Dutch but also very international.’

‘Pricing management offers new challenges every day. The dynamics, the relevance and the collaboration with Air France, Delta Airlines and Virigin Atlantic. Never a dull moment. Our team is internationally orientated and that is why I never feel alienated. Shortly I will move to Paris to work there for the next couple of years. Yes, the company is typical Dutch, but it operates within a global context. No wonder that my German dad had a couple of ‘Blauwe KLM Huisjes’ in his living room. In a way, KLM has always felt familiar.’

Dutch in a good way

Even for a German girl who studied in Groningen, it is easily understood why the KLM brand is such a big name in The Netherlands. ‘I’m not even Dutch, but I feel the “blauwe trots” – the blue company pride. It is something that bonds us and probably is why the internal events are a great way to connect. That is why I try not to miss any of the Young KLM events. Yeah, KLM can be really Dutch sometimes: in a good way. The willingness to connect is awesome; as soon as there are non-Dutch people in the room, colleagues switch to English immediately. In our current department which, by the way is a true collaborative between Air France and KLM, there are people from 15 different countries and my current manager is Dutch-Chinese, so yes KLM is Dutch but also very international.’

‘Pricing management offers new challenges every day. The dynamics, the relevance and the collaboration with Air France, Delta Airlines and Virigin Atlantic. Never a dull moment. Our team is internationally orientated and that is why I never feel alienated. Shortly I will move to Paris to work there for the next couple of years. Yes, the company is typical Dutch, but it operates within a global context. No wonder that my German dad had a couple of ‘Blauwe KLM Huisjes’ in his living room. In a way, KLM has always felt familiar.’

Best moment to book a flight

The coming years Inga hopes to dive deeper in the strategical part of pricing management. She explains: ‘As a pricing team we try to make a difference for the airline, by following different strategies for a part or parts of the network. Take for example the connection between Paris and Toronto. In order to advice on the best prices, we need to know how the competition acts. What is our position within the global network? What do customers need? Are there seasonal effects? No time to get bored! And if I do, I have a day job answering my friend's question: ‘what is the best moment to book a flight?’ Luckily Inga is far to busy to answer questions like that!

Best moment to book a flight

The coming years Inga hopes to dive deeper in the strategical part of pricing management. She explains: ‘As a pricing team we try to make a difference for the airline, by following different strategies for a part or parts of the network. Take for example the connection between Paris and Toronto. In order to advice on the best prices, we need to know how the competition acts. What is our position within the global network? What do customers need? Are there seasonal effects? No time to get bored! And if I do, I have a day job answering my friend's question: ‘what is the best moment to book a flight?’ Luckily Inga is far to busy to answer questions like that!