KLM is launching a renewed push to champion local communities and their unique accents across the UK. The carrier offers three potential winners with authentic Welsh, Scottish, and North East accents the chance to win a free pair of return flights to any KLM destination worldwide.

Anyone with one of the three accents can enter to become the voice for SkyTeam carrier's latest advertising campaign, 'Fly It Home,' and have their accent projected across local airwaves for everyone to enjoy.

What does it take to win?

The airline is celebrating its longstanding links to the UK's local communities by looking for the accents that make them truly unique. KLM announced it is searching for the best local tones, lilts, and intonations across Scotland, Wales, and the North East of England to voiceover its latest radio advertising campaign. The three main winners will receive a pair of return flights from the UK to a KLM destination of their choice from one of the 17 UK airports it flies from.

Six runner-up winners, to be selected at random, will also receive prizes. Three winners will receive a pair of tickets to any KLM European destination of their choosing. Another three competitors will get a pair of return tickets to Amsterdam. All one must do to enter is to "let your true local voice shine" and record the following script:

“Flying KLM Royal Dutch Airlines right from your local airport makes it easier to find joy. Live new experiences and reconnect with loved ones in over 160 destinations with quick transfers via Amsterdam, flying KLM.

Take off from your local airport, find that feeling, fly it home. Fly home with so much more than you departed with… Book at KLM.co.uk”

All entries must last no longer than 30 seconds, and applicants may upload the voice or video message on the official website. The competition runs until 23:59 on July 13th.

Reaching the regions

According to research conducted on behalf of the airline, over a quarter of Brits nationwide claim to have changed their accent at some point. The study around perceptions and feelings around regional accents found that various factors led to this change, with people from Essex being most likely to tone down their accents to avoid embarrassment.

The research also showed that people don't feel proud of their accents if they don't hear them represented in the media and pop culture. One out of five people from the West Country or Birmingham could not think of a celebrity that sounds like them, reinforcing the idea that there's something wrong with how they speak.

When it comes to those who proudly stand by their accent in any scenario, Those from Liverpool and Scotland were overwhelmingly unlikely to tone down their accents. While 74% of Welsh people surveyed would not change their accent for anyone, citing it as a crucial part of their identity. Fahmi Mahjoub, KLM General Manager for the UK & Ireland, expressed their pride to be part of this project:

“KLM is proud to be championing local communities across the UK and celebrating their different accents, phrases and what makes them unique. We understand the importance of heritage, local communities and feeling connected to form and shape identity.

"We’re proud to make it easier than ever for Brits to travel from their regional communities to places all over the world via Amsterdam, so they can stay local and save time, money, and effort when planning their next trip.”

The Amsterdam hub has long offered passengers in regional UK destinations an easy connection to long-haul destinations. For some areas of the country, the flight to Amsterdam is actually quicker than connecting via London, while the ease of checking in at local airports reduces travel hassles.