SEPANG, MALAYSIA: Passengers arriving aboard a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight from Amsterdam at the KL International Airport Thursday did not get the usual "warm welcome".

Instead, the plane was doused with water spray from fire engines based at the airport as it approached the terminal, as a blessing to commemorate the airlines' 50th year of operations in Malaysia.

The 428 passengers on board the Boeing 747-400 aircraft were later presented with soft toys and local delicacies like dodol.

The aircraft, which took off from Amsterdam at 9.18pm on Wednesday, touched down at 2.45pm Thursday.

Dutch Ambassador Lody Embrechts, who was present, said Malaysia and The Netherlands were also celebrating their 50th year of diplomatic relations this year.

"In the 1950s, we had about 100 of our expatriates here. Today, there are some 55,000 Dutch people in Kuala Lumpur for business and travel.

"KLM has been here for 50 years and we hope they will be here for another 50," he said in his speech.

Air France-KLM general manager for South China Sea Ihab Sorial said the airline had been flying into the country since 1934 when it had a weekly flight to Alor Star, Kedah.

"That has evolved today into direct flights from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, which has been enjoying a good load since we began back in 1991," he added. -The Star, ANN