|
PAGE:
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 | |
Rating = 1.0 (very poor) to 5.0 (excellent) |
KLM review- by N Francis
2 September 2007 Customer Trip Rating : 
NCL-AMS-TLS return, economy. Flight to Amsterdam was ok, except the seat numbers above the seats had
gone askew, meaning most people were in the wrong seats. FA was rather officious, but in the end I
just sat in an empty seat on the aisle. Man next to me had his elbow in my ribs the entire way, using
his laptop. Offered doritos (at 9 in morning?) and coffee. It still infuriates me that they don't
provide milk, only creamer. Flight to Toulouse was much better, using Cityhopper. British crew; very
friendly. Got a really good substantial and tasty sandwich both ways, but still no milk! All in all,
the KLM flights operated by Cityhopper had much better food options, but apart from that it was a good
experience and I'd use them again.
KLM review - by Jonathan Cohen
30 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating : 
LHR-MNL via AMS in World Business Class on a very good C class fare booked online. The flight to
Amsterdam on a 737-800 and fine. KLM have comfortable seats on these short haul aircraft. The flight
to Manila was on a 777-200ER which had KLM's angled flat seat in the business class cabin. The flight
had one of the best crews I have flown with. The food was very good and on demand entertainment system
had an excellent selection of movies. The only thing that spoilt it was the fact the seats were not
properly flat which made sleeping quite difficult. Why when an airline spends millions upgrading its
business class cabin does it not spend the extra needed for flat bed seats. With flat beds it could
have been a five star trip.
KLM review - by Niels Andersen
28 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating : 
Dont buy tickets from KLM via Kuala Lumpur to Australia. Lots of passengers are denied boarding in
Kuala Lumpur on the connecting aircraft to Australia. We were 8 (two British, two Swedes and four
Danes) stuck in Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, where they told us " it happens all the time". No guarantee
for connecting plane next day (which we got finally, however, on seats spread all over the plane,
which is not nice travelling with younger children). No help from KLM in Kuala Lumpur at all, we had
to walk around the airport all day with luggage etc. So forget KLM when going to Australia.
KLM review - by Dirk Visser
28 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
AMS-LIS in economy. Checked in online, which works well. Also nice to use the business class desks
for the baggage drop-off; one of the perks of FB Gold. Royal Crown Lounge was a nice haven from the
busy terminal - a shame there is not much of a choice food-wise. Boarding is typical KLM: a chaos.
Gate agents show up late and cabin crew, too, whereby boarding is late and completely chaotic. Once
on board it was a world of difference. I was greeted by name by the crew (and I wasn't even flying in
Europe Select/business). I had three seats to myself, which was welcome on this late evening flight.
Catering has improved with KLM and crew was more than happy to serve that evening. Later into the
flight the crew came by with a tray full of drinks (water, orange juice & Coke) together with a tray
with all sorts of sweets. Service requests answered quickly. Only downside to the KLM experience is
the baggage handling. KLM seem to place more emphasis on getting crew baggage out first; and those
from frequent flyer and Europe Select/business tend to be one of the last off. And that despite the
huge Priority labels on suitcases. This is a flaw that KLM needs to improve. Other airlines offer
this service, so hopefully KLM will catch on some day. This fact, together with the poor boarding
procedures, lowers my ranking for this flight from a potential 5 to a 3.
KLM review - by J van Rijn
28 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
YYZ-AMS in C-class onboard restyled B747-400. Toronto Crown lounge has been renewed since a year which
is a big plus. Nowadays the lounge gets easily overcrowded by all other Sky-team elite members (and
their kids). No business-like haven to relax or work. World Business Class experience as usual on KLM
flights - acceptable seating (not lie-flat seats) - predictable service although the meal could not
get worse. Absolute stunning is KLM IFE. A 3 star airline experience.
KLM review - by P Weil
23 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
ORD-AMS-FLR. Big mistake to do a connection in AMS. Our flight from ORD was four hours late. KLM reps
at ORD refused to rebook our connecting flight, even though they had already rebooked other
passengers. We tried calling NWA to do it ourselves, but could not get through. Of course we missed
our connecting flight in AMS. We were directed to go to the transfer des', which of course turn out to
be splattered all over the huge Schipol Airport, and we had no idea which one to go to. It took us an
hour (and a trip through passport control/customs) to finally find Transfer Desk 2, which was
overflowing with passengers. We took a number and waited. After an hour, we saw that people were just
going up to the desk without taking numbers, and it became clear that the number computer had broke
down. KLM agents just hadn't told anyone, and were helping whoever came up to the desk. This was
followed by a huge surge of irate passengers, screaming at the agents. Agents would disappear form
their stations for 20-30 minutes at a time. Finally, after more than two hours, and lots of pushing
and yelling, we finally got rebooked for a flight six hours later. We arrived in Florence at almost
midnight, where we were supposed to pick up a car rental. We missed our entire first day in Italy due
to KLM refusal to rebook us promptly - when it was clear that we would miss our connection, and then
made us battle at the Transfer Desk for over 2 hours, and then sit in Schipol for another 6 hours. On
the return flight, Meridiana, the partner airline, would not issue us boarding passes in Florence for
our connecting flight from AMS-ORD. Of course we arrived late. A KLM agent told us to 'try our luck'
at Transfer Desk 2 - if it was crowded, go to Desk 6. Another walk to the other side of the airport,
through passport control/customs, another huge line, this time at Desk 6 another 90-minute wait.
People are screaming about missing flights. We would have missed our flight to ORD had it not been
delayed 90-minutes. Then when we were finally issued boarding passes, my wife and I were separated by
some 30 rows. It wasn't until we got on the plane that a polite and helpful flight attendant assisted
us in moving so we could sit together. Why couldn't we receive our boarding passes for our connecting
flight when we checked in that morning in Florence?! Why do we have to walk all over Schipol and then
wait online forever at those stupid Transfer Desks just to get boarding passes?! One couldn't think of
a more stupid system. KLM has been crossed off our list forever.
KLM review - by Thorsten Koenig
21 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
ORD-AMS C class on an old 747. FA friendly and told me that these seats were already the new ones,
which surprised me because it was not the standard I expected from new C class seats - simply too
short. IFE on-demand, food reasonable, but nothing surprising. Facing the high prices KLM charges I
would have expected more.
KLM review - by Harvey Brant
16 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
I'd heard of bad things about KLM, but they got me, my wife, and our luggage from Bristol to Athens
(via Amsterdam) and back in cattle class without any problems . The only criticisms I could level
relate to the mediocre food, lack of inflight entertainment, and that check-ins both at Bristol and at
Athens were rather late in opening. In neither case did the latter delay the flight, but it's
frustrating when you try to do your bit to speed things along in this heightened security climate by
arriving early, only to be kept waiting for the check-in staff to arrive. As for the food, it was so
poor that I find it hard to see why they even bother providing it. Why don't they just adopt the no-
frills model on short-haul sectors and offer lower fares instead if they're not going to provide
anything decent? Having said that, the special offer fare of £200 return including taxes for a flight
from my local airport (sparing us the hell of Heathrow, Gatwick, or worse) at the very height of the
August holiday season was a very good deal indeed for the time of year. Unusually for a conventional
airline, they sometimes offer some excellent deals through their website that even the internet
booking agents can't match. Occasionally there's something really unmissable, so for that reason I
will probably use them again.
KLM review - by Robert Sollie
15 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Atlanta-Amsterdam-Oslo return. Check-in in ATL fast and efficient, boarding quick with a full flight.
The new A330 was clean and fairly comfortable. The legroom in economy is slightly cramped with the
video equipment under the seat. Sleeping difficult and uncomfortable. The cabin crew was excellent
and onboard service much better than most US carriers. The inflight entertainment was good with a
large selection of movies, games, music and TV. AMS-OSL was KLM cityhopper. Fokker 100 was
comfortable with more legroom than the A330. Cabin crew again nice and efficient. OSL-AMS 737 very
comfortable and excellent crew. AMS-ATL transit in Amsterdam was a nightmare. Between customs and
security the lines were terrible and the gate area after security was way too small for such a large
group of people. Boarding chaotic as everyone rushed the boarding door, no announcements made as to
row numbers. The flight was full and there seemed to be quite a few seat duplications. As this was a
day time flight the A330 seemed more comfortable.
KLM review - by S Duncan
13 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating : 
ABZ-AMZ-TLS return in Economy. Trip started OK with check-in etc. going well. The first leg was OK but
I am a bit fed-up with only getting some biscuits for lunch with a full service airline, even though
the flight only was 1.5 hours from ABZ to AMS. The sandwich on the afternoon flight from AMS to TLS
was nice. TLS to AMS was good apart from the fact that as a Gold Card member, we were upgraded.
Normally very nice, but the upgrade was only for my wife and I, with our 4 year old at the back of the
plane. We explained the situation to the cabin staff and I let my wife and 4 year old sit up front.
The cabin staff made sure however that we all got seats together in economy, which was no problem.
However the general seat allocation on that flight was completely mixed up with many people being
shifted from the back to the front to the back again. One poor woman travelling with 2 toddlers didn't
even get 3 seats all together! In AMS I tried to get into the lounge, but as a Gold Card Member, I am
only allowed 1 guest and our 4 year old counted as an adult, so we didn't get in. I realise that rules
re rules, but a 4 year old isn't going to eat or drink them out of house and home. I travel with KLM
every 3 weeks on business and have to say that while the cabin staff are always friendly, the on board
service and Flying Blue members service provided in AMS has become very inconsistent - ranging from
very poor to very good. KLM standards have slipped quite a bit and the benefits and service I have
experience as Flying Blue member have taken a severe dive recently.
KLM review - by H Wallgren
13 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
KUL-AMS-ARN return. A 12 hour flight to Amsterdam, leg room appalling, could hardly move. Even less
leg room than what you get on domestic flights. Interior old fashioned and scruffy. On this 12 hour
flight there were only a few malfunctioning central TVs in the cabin, most of the time only displaying
the map and the route. Compared to other airlines KLM is years behind. Only good thing was the food
which was fresh and nice.
KLM review - by G Snyder
13 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LAX-AMS-JNB return in World Business. Though not at the standards of other international carriers in
their business class product, they do a good if not consistent job of getting you from place to place.
All flights were on time. Boarding is chaos and could be improved by moving people from the secondary
security screening to the plane versus another waiting area. Food was adequate - not the box and
between the pre course, salad, entree, deserts, in between snack and landing breakfast or lunch as
well as sparse food in the pantry. Wine was fine and the attitude of a couple of their flight
attendants was actually pleasant. Seats on the 777 were better than the 747 but both a few years
behind the business/first class standard but got the job done. Blankets and amenity kit below average
range. Inflight entertainment and lack of power jacks on 747 a flashback to the 80's. The showers at
AMS were available on the 3rd leg, the 1st leg the wait was over 2 hours. I hope they upgrade their
product and planes and move to flatbed seats.
KLM review - by Marybeth Richards
13 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
I chose KLM to fly LHR-AMS-RIX and back rather than go to LGW for a flight with Air Baltic. Overall,
not a bad experience - the crew on the short LHR-AMS flight managed effortlessly to get two rounds of
drinks and snacks in on the short trip - great efficiency. RIX-AMS was delayed, and there was only one
staff member at the gate, trying to deal with pax who had connections - I had a tight connection to
make for a UK domestic from LHR and couldn't afford to lose much time. Managed to get on the
scheduled flight from AMS-LHR with many assurances that my checked bag would go with me, but of course
it did not. It was on the next flight, which was just an hour later than the one I'd taken (wish I'd
stayed at Schiphol to do a bit of shopping!). Baggage handlers at LHR top notch, one fellow even went
to the belt to get my bag when it arrived. KL offered good value, clean aeroplanes, professional crew
and overall a reasonable level of service for the flights I took.
KLM - by R Kuhn
10 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Missed my flight from VIE to AMS with SkyEurope, so had to settle for KLM which was cheapest. Don't
really see the point of paying extra for a full service carrier for a 2 hour flight when the price
difference was pretty significant, and the only thing you get on KLM was a drink and an OK sandwich
(which I wasn't expecting to get at all).
KLM - by John Payne
10 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
The reason I fly KLM is that I am a Platinum member. Living in South Africa and travelling to the UK
and USA each 6 weeks or so, I frequently make stopovers in Amsterdam to see friends, hence my choice
of airlines. In Economy Class the food is terrible, and out of Johannesburg they use really old 747
Combis with terrible overhead TV monitors. I have frequently upgraded to WBC, and find the food
equally bad, especially out of Johannesburg. Their recent 'China' promotion seemed to be an excuse to
serve cheap noodles to everyone, including in WBC. I've upgraded with their partner airline, NWA, on
the DTW-AMS route, superior to KLM, and also on Kenya Airways from Nairobi to Johannesburg.
KLM Economy seats are appaling, along with the food, WBC seats really aren't fantastic either.
The only bonus with KLM, their Flying Blue Frequent Flyer Program.
KLM - by Torsten Kaminski
10 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating : n/a
Completely agree to M Albarda comments on keeping window shades closed. Same happened to me on a
Lufthansa flight from MUC to Hong Kong. Left late night from Europe and arrived early evening to Hong
Kong. Had a good nap, but also wanted to stay awake and exposed to daylight in order to being able to
sleep at night upon arrival. FA,s insisted that blades remained closed for IFE even though I explained
that I tried to adjust to the local time. Felt totally dominated by somebody esles (stupid) decision
as an economy passenger, plus I am generally not interested in staring 11 hours onto the screen in
front of me!
KLM - by Stuart Boate
10 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating : 
Birmingham - Amsterdam - Almaty. First leg in the F70, in flight service was quick and efficient
with drink and deli sandwiches which were better than Lufthansa's. Schipol I found
easier and better than Frankfurt. AMS - ALA flight on a new Airbus with excellent IFE with VOD.
Meal and service both great and chance for a short sleep before arriving early in the morning
in Almaty. I am looking forward to the return which leaves at 07.10 rather than the 3.30am
Lufthansa.
KLM - by M Albarda
9 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
WBC Leeds-Amsterdam-Atlanta. Leeds to Amsterdam is a short hop, and the F70 was fine for such a short flight.
On flights under 1 hour KLM could probably do away with Europe Select all together as there simply is no time
to create anything special for customers in 50 minutes. I am lactose intolerant as well as alergic to shell fish.
KLM and some other airlines do not cater to special meal requests on European flights anymore, and I have also
noticed that on long-haul they have created the ultimate, will-pass-any-limitation meal that caters to all
imaginable allergies, beliefs and religions. In other words, you end up mostly with a plate of iedible vegetable stuff.
I no longer order special meals and have found that by combining dishes (sometimes even from
economy!) you can have a tasty meal without ordering special meals. For instance, AMS to ATL I
have had the (Knorr) soup from economy as my second meal, because the WBC meal was either pizza or
prawns. The soup is not as good as the soup from Delta, but tasty none the less. The other thing
on day flights across the Atlantic, or any other day time flight that annoys me, is the closing of
window blinds. On a day flight, my main objective is to stay awake. I typically work a good 4-5
hours, and use the IFES during meals or down-time. I do not, repeat, do NOT want to sleep as it will
wreck havoc on jet-lag. All I have read about jet lag is to switch to the time zone you are
traveling to the minute you board the plane. The other well documented jet lag antidote is day-
light, so I do not appreciate the looks and comments from other people wanting me to close the
blind. I know that the closing of the blinds is also being used as an excuse to allow people to use
their IFE. But with the new systems in place, the screen quality is now so good, you really don't
need darkness to be able to see. The real reason is of course that sleeping passengers do not have
any demands, or ask questions of staff. In summary, my flight was uneventlful apart from the
delay which did not affect me. Thoughts anyone on the other points raised?
KLM - by Ian Aitchison
7 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Norwich-Amsterdam- Milan. Economy. The city hopper from NWI use F70 or 100 which is fine for the short
40 min flight, decent seat pitch and just enough time for a juice and a biscuit. AMS-MXP leg was with
737 400 series. FA's pleasant and helpful. Seat pitch good and you get a couple of small deli rolls
along with a glass of wine which fine for me as I no longer expect a hot meal on shorter european
flights. Arrived slightly ahead of schedule. Then it went pear shaped. Bags had not arrived from AMS.
Not a surprise really considering the short connection but you live in hope. Took ages to get the
paperwork sorted as I was not the only person without their luggage. Considering the price the service
bhen on the aircraft is well worth it. KLM seem to be improving their game from a couple of years
back. Its probably the best since the AF merger. Its just those connections at AMS, either too short
(less than 50 mins which is the absolute minimum time required or too (long 3+ hours). I know its not
easy to find a perfect solution to fit all. The "in the air " operation is getting better. The
"ground" part needs to keep up with the improvements.
KLM - by Andrew Estefan
2 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
AMS to DXB. Flight overbooked, so my travelling partner and I were
allocated seats in rows 25 and 47. We asked to be moved and staff were
helpful. Onboard service was pleasant, although a little inefficient.
Good standard of food. Landed on time where I discovered my baggage had
not arrived with me. Very poor communication from KLM about this, but
bag eventually arrived around 48hrs later.
KLM - by Roger Litton
2 August 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
AMS–Lima business class. New plane. AVOD was lovely. Staff very
attentive and pleasant. However, how can KLM justify a three-seat
configuration in business? Why don’t they go for fully flat seats (like
BA); these 170 degree seats seem designed to be uncomfortable and
difficult to sleep in. Business lounges at AMS are OK but not all have
showers – and, for those that do, you have to queue. No flight calls.
Quito–AMS Business class). An older Macdonald Douglas with a crap
entertainment system (I didn’t get to watch one film). Staff attentive
and pleasant. Still have three seats and seats are not good for
sleeping. In the Business lounge in Quito, the staff come and get you
when they’re ready for you to board (we were jokingly told off by one of
the staff for going down to the gate before we were called “go back &
sit in comfort – we’ll come & get you!").
KLM - by P Gatineau
31 July 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Stuttgart to Stockholm over Amsterdam. Economy. F100 and B737 equipement. Good value for money.
Flights almost on time, good seat pitch and nice F/A. Service quality on KLM mainline is definitly
better than with Cityhopper. The new snack concept (sandwichs only at meal time) is a real pitty. In
that case fly low cost!
KLM - by Rajesh Hamirwasia
31 July 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
WBC AMS-YYZ. Flight got delayed by 20+ Hours at AMS due to a mechanical
problem with the plane. Communication about the delay was handled
extremely poorly with no special considerations for WBC passengers.
Service was decent once onboard. Ground staff customer service at
arrivals counter needs a lot to be desired. Level of food has gone down
at the business class lounges.
KLM - by Michael Owen
25 July 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
AMS-DXB Economy Class. Boarding on-time and organised. Staff onboard
cheerful and did a good job - a change from the moody cabin crew which
KLM have become known for. IFE onboard new 777's is amazing, with a wide
range of television, movies, games and music. My one problem - I sat on
the left hand of the aisle and had the small IFE box which took away
some of my legroom.
KLM - by C Saunders-Tack
23 July 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
AMS to KUL Economy travelling with 18 month old child. I have
travelled widely with KLM in the last few years (business and economy)
and usually found staff unfriendly and cold. KLM is my company's
approved airline for this sector, so I don't have much choice as to who
I fly with. Travelling alone with a child (who had her own paid for
seat) was extremely stressful. Before boarding I told the staff at the
gate I would need help with my daughters car seat (FAA approved), I was
ignored, I then asked 4 other staff as I made my way to the seat for
help and was again not offered help. Finally I had to dump my hand
luggage in the gangway whist I loaded my daughter, thus blocking the way
of a member of the maintenance staff, who eventually helped me. When I
asked for some milk and food for my daughter during the flight (nothing
had been offered) I was told I should have been more organised and
brought my own food for her, despite my having paid for a seat for her
and checking that she had a meal booked. I recently made a similar trip
with Singapore Airline and the experience couldn't have been more
different.
KLM - by Geoffrey Wyndham-Jones
11 July 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
KWI-AMS-LCY return Y class. Original flight was cancelled just as all
passengers had boarded, due to "food poisoning" with some of the crew
(later amended to "viral infection"). However, KLM arranged alternative
flights where they could, and accommodated all remaining passengers on
the flight the following day. However, although the information
regarding alternative flights was on the KLM website, I was unable to
access it, and KLM did not send any notification of the changes by any
other method, leaving me to guess what was happening. Once on board,
however, KWI - AMS was operated by a new A330, with the latest AVOD
entertainment system, which I found easy to use, although with somewhat
limited choices. The seat pitch feels a little tight on this aircraft,
with the seats themselves being on the firm side. However, the flight
deck crew kept us informed of progress and delays, and the flight
attendants were pleasant, smiled, and generally kept the passengers
happy. Food was imaginative and well presented. AMS - LCY was on a
Fokker 50, and with 2 + 2 seating with a more generous seat pitch than
the A330, was actually more comfortable to fly, although take-offs and
landings in windy or cloudy conditions are interesting, to say the
least. Again, KLM seems to work to high standards, even with these
"Cityhopper" aircraft, and the presentation and taste of the rolls and
coffee offered was to a higher standard than that of BA. KLM seem to be
improving their product, and with Amsterdam as a hub, for me, offer a
better product than BA and Heathrow.
KLM - by Eric Bateman
30 June 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Edi-Ams-Stockholm economy class return. All flights on time apart from
one being 30 mins late (bad weather at Amsterdam). KLM seem to have
raised their game in recent months. The aircraft seem a little bit
newer, the people seem to smile a little bit more, food and drink seems
a little bit better. All slight improvements but collectively made the
trip a much better experience than others I have had recently.
KLM - by P McCracken
27 June 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Was re-routed on KLM due to missing flight on Gulf Air from BKK to DUB
via AMS. Very old and shabby B747-400 Combi. Dinner was worst I ever
had. Completely inedible and served in a cardboard box with no choice.
Cabin crew cold and indifferent, hardly a smile. Crew all older so you
would have expected a bit of professionalism. Only saving grace was that
legroom was not bad so could stretch out a bit and the breakfast was
excellent. Very inconsistent flight. Would not want to fly KLM again if
possible.
KLM - by T Renehan
27 June 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Singapore to Amsterdam in economy. Flew on B747 Combi, very cramped,
aircraft and crew seem worn out. Return trip was a chance for redemption
but was equally unpleasant.
KLM - by Paul Steele
25 June 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
BUD-AMS-KUL-MEL, AKL-KUL-AMS-BUD. Decided to use KLM on a recent trip
to Oz and NZ to be able to collect Flying Blue Miles. I chose most of
the flights to be Malaysian Airlines, as I know they are superior to
KLM. By ticketing cleverly you get cheap prices and a better product.
AMS-KUL was with KLM in an old 747-400. It's a pretty dire experience. I
had flown three months earlier on a difference route with KLM and the
meals were exactly the same, as was one of the mains creen films! I
thought airlines rotated monthly, but obviously not. Costcutting is
evident and a real shame as KLM used to have a great product.
The other flights were with Malaysia Airlines, and on the whole pretty
good, although again the product has deteriorated over the last few
years with the meals (in particular on flights leaving KUL) of an
extremely poor quality. On arrival in AMS (from KUL) transferring to
Budapest I had a four hour wait, which I spent in the Crown Lounge. My
flight continued not to be displayed as boarding, so I stayed in the
lounge. About ten minutes before schedule departure I inquired at the
front desk and was told the flight had closed and departed. I asked
immediately to see a manager and asked the lounge staff to witness the
information screens being incorrect. I was told this was entirely my
fault and regardless of what the screens say, you should ignore them and
always go to gate (yes - even if you have a 24 hour delay). After
complaining to the manager and asking to see an Airport rep (as KLM
blamed the airport, who blamed Malev - the codeshare operator) I
finally got moved to the next flight without the 200EUR fine originally
imposed. Upon boarding the Malev rep again pulled me out of line and
told me how 'lucky' I was to be on this flight for free and that the
events were my fault despite a computer malfunction. I was pretty
disgusted with the service, especially being a Platinum member, and I
sincerely regret not building up my miles with a different alliance.
Finally, I received none of the mileage automatically, as Malaysia
Airlines system is not compatible. If you make this trip you have to
claim retrospectively, which is easier said than done.
KLM - by Olivier Ragu
25 June 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
NRT-AMS-CDG with KLM (Air France AMS-CDG). Fast check in procedure at
NRT (through the web, but you have to go to the check in counter to get
your boarding passes) with a nervous person. No line for security and
immigration, organized boarding. Nice entertainment (AVOD) and nice crew
on this 777-200ER. Round of drink (+ Bar service in the back of the
aircraft) every hour at least. Transfer at AMS without any problem.
Security check a bit lengthy but cordial staff. However different story
for the AMS-CDG leg. Flight 1 hour delayed due to "technical" problems
at CDG. Almost no service on this flight operated by AF, but still OK as
crew was friendy. All in all a nice experience flying KLM. Expected a
worse experience.
KLM - by Paul Jacobsen
5 June 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
ARN-HAJ in economy class. The problem with KLM is that you never know
how the service on your flight will be. It can range from excellent to
unacceptable. This time I got lucky and had a good service on-board,
with a friendly and smiling cabin crew. Similarly, catering seems to
change on each flight. The tasty and large sandwich I used to have has
now been transformed into two small sandwiches. The beverage trolley
offered apple and tomato juice, but no orange juice! ARN-AMS was
operated in a comfortable B737-300 with new seats. However I had to
endure the AMS-HAJ leg in a fully booked Fokker 50: noisy, too warm,
cramped seats.
KLM - by Karen Smith
5 June 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
What a strange new service concept from KLM within Europe. In Economy a
meal (Sandwich) is only served at "mealtimes" - KLM are unable to tell
me what defines a "meal time" - on my flights last week from Munich to
Leeds (over Amsterdam) the 17:40 flight was not defined as a meal time -
a biscuit was served, The 21:00 flight to Leeds was also not deemed a
meal time - a pack of crisps was offered this time. A little more
transparency in service would be nice - surely sandwiches are not super
expensive and are the minimum offer a "service" airline should provide
its passengers. In all other respects KLM are great - friendly service,
nice aircraft and punctual service.
KLM - by John Frewen-Lord
31 May 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
HUY (Humberside) to YYZ (Toronto) and return via AMS. Outgoing flight
from HUY on F70, very pleasant and on time. Onwards from AMS on aging
747, no seatback entertainment, and overhead screens too small and
impossible to see from most seats. Food good, cabin crew very friendly
and worked tirelessly. Return marred by 2 hour delay due to late
arrival of inbound plane at YYZ. On checking in, after queuing up for
15 minutes, I was told I would miss my connection in AMS, and told to go
to the ticketing counter to be reticketed. Why can't KLM do that at the
check-in counter? On rechecking in, I was told it was mandatory to
obtain my boarding passes from the self-serve machines, which meant the
check-in counters become little more than baggage drop-off and documents
check. Return flight same as outgoing - old 747, IFE impossible to see,
very good cabin crew, and food good (albeit almost identical to outgoing
flight). The new food packaging I found to be an improvement over
anything else I've encountered bar full business class meals. Flight
from AMS to HUY on F50 - lots of room on these small planes. Overall a
good expereince, and would fly KLM again, especially as it means I can
avoid the trek to a UK major airport.
KLM - by S Malvern
28 May 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
I regularly fly AMS-GRU in economy, and KLM uses a Boeing 777 for this
route. And with the inflight entertainment system (one screen in every
seat with a choice of movies, games etc), it makes for a more
comfortable flight in spite of the low level of food, drinks, seats and
service that is associated with KLM. But on the flights to and from HKG,
KLM uses old 747s. And it makes the journey overall quite miserable. I
dont know how much longer passengers will accept the communal screening
system for entertainment. But I know that I will prefer airlines with an
entertainment system on my next HKG flights. And there are quite a few
to choose from. The seats are horrible, service polite but virtually
non-existant, but what really annoyed me on my recent HKG-AMS flight was
the lack of between meal snacks. I find it appalling that KLM does not
offer any snacks on a 12 hour flight. Not least because their portions
on their standard meals are so small. On other airlines, and other KLM
flights, there are a small selection of snacks to choose from -
chocolates etc. KLM chooses not to offer anything to their passangers on
this flight - and I find it very stingy. I think that KLM will miss a
lot of future customers like me, small business owners who fly 100.000
miles a year and pay themselves for tickets. The reason: I dont want to
spend 4-5 more to fly business class, but wouldnt mind paying 30-40%
more for a premium economy seat and service. KLM does not offer this.
And with the lousy level of their economy class, at least on these 747s,
I will avoid them in the future.
KLM - by Jay Sitlani
28 May 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
AMS to IAD in Economy. Seats are very cramped and the pitch is knee
crushing (aisle seats near the window are better because they lack the
horrible IFE boxes below the seats), but the service on KLM is friendly
and generous. IFE is excellent with many choices. The meal service is
quite good for Economy. It comes in this rather interesting green
plastic contraption in a cardboard box, and when you open the box there
is a Sudoku puzzle on the inside. The hot meal was acceptable and
alcoholic beverages plentiful and free. On my next flight, however, I
shall ask for the Indian vegetarian meal that a woman seated across the
aisle had ordered. It smelled delicious and seemed to come with a
variety of Indian breads and other titbits. In general, I find the
transatlantic service on KLM in Economy class to be the best among all
the other US and European alternatives.
KLM - by Jake Lawrence
24 May 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LCY-AMS-LCY on a Fokker 50 every couple of weeks. These planes look and
feel old, but since they only carry up to about 50 persons they are nice
and convenient. Cabin crew often seem to have a trainee among them, as I
have heard all sorts of uncertain safety instructions. Seat pitch seems
a bit better than on modern planes to LHR and everybody seems a bit more
relaxed. Since there is no real price difference, I would advise anyone
flying between London and Amsterdam to use this service. Would it make a
difference that these flights are operated by KLM Cityhopper rather than
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines?
KLM - by David Wright
24 May 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Business class CDG-AMS, AMS-FGO, FGO-AMS,AMS-CPT, CPT-AMS, AMS-ICN in
mid April as part of an around the world trip. In-Europe flights on 737
with 3-3 seating just like coach but middle seats were empty. Something
to eat on all segments, fine but not great. AMS-Capetown (round trip) on
777 with 2-3-2 seating and lie flat seats. Service and meals friendly
and filling. AMS-Seoul on 747 with seat in upper deck arranged 2-2 with
lie flat seats. Once again service and meals friendly and filling.
Ceramic Amsterdam house filled with Netherland gin given on all long
haul flights. All six flights occurred within a two week period and all
were good.
KLM - by C Denning
24 May 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
LCY-AMS-MNL Return in economy. FA's efficient without being cloyingly
attentive. IFE sufficient to keep my two children occupied for the bulk
of the 13hr leg from AMS to MNL. The food is very much of the "snack"
variety but is ample. The main thing I look for in an airline is
punctuality and the three times I have flown this route, they've never
let me down. They also arrive in Manila in the morning (much, much safer
than the Emirates flight which, although comfortable, arrives in Manila
late at night). As someone who lives in Central London, the LCY
departure option is the clincher.
KLM - by Norman Sutherland
20 May 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
BKK-AMS-BKK in Business Class. Bang on time both ways. New seats on AMS-
BKK leg (but not on the other) are excellent and a long overdue
improvement. Food is much improved on long-haul this year compared to
last, though not on the short hops. IFE is still lagging behind the
competition. Overall an improvement compared to recent poor experiences
with KLM.
KLM - by A de Souza
20 May 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
AMS-São Paulo (GRU) - NS was working on the rails, Left home (Tilburg) 12.30am arrived at
Schiphol
3.50pm. Result: lost my flight, but the ground service was really nice, they booked me on a Flight
to Paris and from there I took a TAM flight! very nice! never though they could do so (in Brazil the
airlines would say "get out of here").
KLM - by B Parsons
17 May 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
My wife and son went LCY-AMS-LIM (Peru). London City airport had
problems with radar equipment, was a horrible day weatherwise and planes
had to land and take off by sight. Took off 55 mins late, for 80 mins
connection time at Schipol. Staff at AMS seemed to know of situation, as
wife and son rushed to departure gate for Lima leg. They made it!!! On
arrival at Lima, realised that baggage did not make the connection!
Went to KLM service desk at Lima. Nothing that could really be done.
Given $400 as compensation (and to buy clothes, etc) and asked to leave
address in Peru where they were staying. (a city north of Lima, 1 hours
flying time, 8 hours by road). Asked to expect a call from KLM to let
them know when to pick up their baggage from the local airport. Instead
baggage was delivered to door by courier. In circumstances beyond their
control, KLM took all the inconvenience and full responsibility of the
situation.
KLM - by J Rees
17 May 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
PRG-AMS-KUL-PEN Return in Economy. All the short flights ok and on
time. AMS-KUL on aging 747. Outbound, middle seat was free in 3-4-3
configuration, plenty of space. IFE very poor, reruns of Mr Bean and
two and a half men. Food good for Economy class, regular drinks service
and attentive cabin staff. Return was far worse, plane full, poor effort
from the cabin crew. Only 2 drinks served, no water brought round
during the night (like the outbound), very cramped with a full plane and
no free middle seat. Same poor IFE. Overall, adequate for the price,
if LHR wasn't such an absolute nightmare to transfer through I'd have
gone BA instead, but when the plane is full and the pressure is on KLM
staff and product really fail to deliver. Take your own entertainment
and a drink. And for some crazy reason they turn all the lights on 3
hours before landing on an overnight flight? Seems to me so they can
show you a video featuring the joys of windmill museums in the
Netherlands, and the surly cabin crew have time to get the breakfast out
(badly understaffed). A 1990's outfit operating a 1990's aircraft with
1990's staff (showing 1980's comedy).
KLM - by H Ferguson
9 May 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
AMS-EWR Business class. MD-11, Terrible seats, mine wouldn't recline
properly. Good choice of films although the audio didn't work as well.
Chinese menu, nice but not to the standard of a business class meal.
Small portions, typical with KLM. The trays with the food looked awful,
the paint all scratched. I pity the crew, they were helpful and felt a
bit embarrassed with the equipment. KLM should at least have the same
level as Air France.
KLM - by Angela Jennings
9 May 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Birmingham to Quito via Amsterdam return economy. Overall poor
performance. Leg room very tight. Staff civil but lacked enthusiasm or
sociability. Film screens overhead and very few - not viewable if
alongside passenger. Food abysmal. No proper meals - only repetitive
snacks; bread awful, only powdered milk, disgusting Kelloggs bars,
spread unpleasant, cheese paste in foil tube, fruit salad 'stewed', much
of it inedible. Disembarked hungry and miserable.
KLM - by David Allan
8 May 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
CGK-KUL-CGK : I fly this route every month and have been doing so for
over two years. I tend to fly KLM more often than not, although
probably not for much longer. This time around CGK-KUL was delayed two
hours, then return sector delayed 1.5 hours. No reasons or apologies
offered. Aircraft are 747-400 "combis" (where the rear half of the
'plane is filled with cargo) which have seen better days. IFE consists
of a few tiny ceiling-mounted TVs which show the likes of Mr Bean re-
runs without audio. Food is generally disgusting/inedible and there's
no choice - take it or leave it - and when you see the same slop served
every time you fly, it gets tired. Coffee is rarely offered and usually
with a grudge, just before landing and long after meal is finished. I
pity those who continue on all the way to AMS on these 'planes.
Compared to the likes of Singapore, Qatar and Etihad, KLM is miles
behind.
KLM - by Andy Johnson
8 May 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
BHX to AMS in economy, to connect onto a China Airlines flight.
Slightly worried at BHX as previous Air France flight had been cancelled
and passengers seemed to put onto our flight to transfer in Amsterdam.
Flight was full but left on time. Staff very attentiver. Even though
50 mins flying time still time for them to serve a snack and a drink. A
nice touch for such a small hop.
KLM - by Rathin Roy
28 April 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
EBB-AMS Business Class. Swift check in and efficient boarding using the
common Business lounge at EBB. It was pouring rain when we boarded but
cabin crew were on hand with tissues and towels to help us dry off. A
very good dinner was served. For some reason they were serving Chinese
wine on this flight but no Chinese food This gimmick put me off -
airlines should serve reliable quality wines and such gimmicks give the
impression that KLM Cabin services planning is quirky and not passenger
focused. If they want to experiment with Chinese wine then they should
do so at home. Excellent lie flat seats on this Airbus A330 with superb
IFE. Overall a four star experience - competent but with none of the
extra touches that you expect from 5 star airlines and needless
gimmickry with the beverage service.
KLM - by M Tough
24 April 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Glasgow to Auckland return. Very cramped seating especially on the
Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur flight. Food awful. Cabin staff would not stop
serving nuts despite my son's severe nut allergy - they suggested we
make other travel arrangements! Return flights 14-15 April. A mask was
supposed to be provided for son, but did not materialise - a towel was
offered instead. Kuala Lumpur - Amsterdam flight cabin staff were
excellent and immediately stopped serving nuts in our part of the cabin.
They showed real concern and could not have been more helpful. Nut
allergy is a life threatening condition which seems much more common now
in the UK. Airlines such as KLM should be more aware of this and be
prepared to offer alternative types of snack to their passengers.
KLM - by Steve Atkinson
24 April 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Man-Ams-Addis return in economy. All flights on time, A330 on the Addis
leg comfortable in economy (I am 6'3"), the food no worse than you would
expect in any economy service. What made the difference was the crew on
all legs - friendly, helpful and efficient. KLM's fare was the cheapest
for this trip, and was great value for money.
KLM - by Annette McKenzie
20 April 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
SIN-AMS in World Business Class on 777. I was very disappointed with the
cramped cabin. The front line crew are doing their best to cope with the
reduction and decline of the product they have to offer. I feel sorry
for them. They use to work for an airline offering an elite product. Now
it appears very unimpressive and their frustration is apparent. As a
loyal customer I find it difficult to defend KLMs inability to
appreciate that they are letting their customers and their staff down. A
return airfare Ams/Sin are from EUR 3238 - 5464 and this amount of
money, in my opinion, falls into the 'rip-off' category. I would expect
more.
KLM - by Jan Landman
20 April 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Singapore to Amsterdam in Business Class. Recently KLM started to use
Boeing 777 for this route with the new chairs. These chairs are no more
than slightly upgraded economy seats - narrow, not full recline, close
to each other, if reclined, no way the rear passenger can move out of
his seat. Pretty sad for an airline that labels itself ROYAL. And it is
such a surprise as the mother company Air France has decent seats in
Business Class. Seats in 1B, 2A and 2B are were at fault, only part of
the functionality worked. There was a lot of debate between the 1B
passenger, the purser and the pilot, trying to force the seat to work.
The only goal reached was that from many other passengers the night rest
was stolen. The food - with the exception of the breakfast - awful.
KLM - by Daryl Ward
20 April 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Purchased flexible ticket from Leeds to Munich. Paid far more than
standard economy fare for the ability to change the date for a fee of 75
Euro. On calling KLM to change the ticket I was told that no economy
seats were available as I had booked the flight in the UK. I could book
a new ticket in economy from Munich back to Leeds as tickets were still
available in Germany. I pointed out this was a little unfair and was
told there was nothing that could be done. As a platinum card holder the
service both on the ground and in the air seems to be getting steadily
worse. The latest change involves removing the sandwich and instead
offering a crispbread.
KLM - by Vincent Orliange
20 April 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
STR-AMS-YUL return - economy. STR AMS delayed by 70 mins due to snow in
Stuttgart but did the connection in AMS anyway. F70 fully packed but
confortable, small sandwich and drink. AMS YUL on B744M. No PTV and seat
pitch very bad. Choice of chicken or pasta for the main dish. Return on
B772. Same very poor pitch, same choice of meals but AVOD system wich
made the trip shorter. FAs efficient. Only 1 hour to connect but this
was no problem in Schipol. AMS-STR on very empty B734, sandwich and
drinks. Small delay of 10mins. A very good experience for the price we
paid. The only bad point remains the seat pitch on the long haul fleet.
KLM - by Nicola Sotgiu
20 April 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
FCO-AMS-LCY return in economy. First leg (FCO - AMS) in code sharing with Alitalia (AZ
plane). New A320, completely full. Service OK. Food as usual: alisnack witk a not goodlooking
sandwich that is normally quite good. Plenty of cold and hot drinks. The other tree legs with KLM
were very impressive. Non problems in AMS, also if transfer time was of 40 minutes. AMS - LCY on a
very old and worn off Fokker 50, completely full. I had to leave my luggage out of the aircaft, but
it was returned to me at the airstairs in LCY (with no delay). Service was noticeable. Very friendly
and smiling FA, with good sandwiches and drinks, also if the flight time is quite short. The return
was also very good. I arrived in LCY just 30 min before plane departed. Service very very good. In
AMS there was a tremendous queue for passport controls, but with continuos (also if not polite)
assistance from airport personnel. Service very good also on AMS - FCO, with (good!) pasta and hot
bread (made on board!) and plenty of drinks. Also onboard duty free shops had nice designs products.
FA were always professional and polite.
KLM - by Sean Clarke
15 April 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
Ams-Bkk. An awful flight and I was only there because I missed my
connection to China Airlines Business Class. A great pity as this
economy cabin in KLM is dreadful. The seats were far too close, no real
recline and uncomfortable, the attendents offhand and indifferent. The
food was about the worst I have ever been offered on a long haul flight.
It was a Heinz 57 chicken dish of such poor quality that I did not touch
it. I have flown many airlines in First, Business, Premium Economy,
Economy and Charter - but nothing was this bad.
KLM - by Eric Bateman
15 April 2007 Customer Trip Rating :
EDI-AMS return economy. Checked in online for both flights, took no more
than 10 seconds to drop bag at Edi. Frustrating as flight was pretty
empty and loads of luggage space on board, but not the airline's fault
that I couldn't take the bag on board. Friendly service on board,
arrived early in Amsterdam, satisfactory and uneventful flight!
Return was a full flight. Friday afternoon at a packed Schiphol and
again the fast bag drop worked well and it probably only took less than
a minute to do it. For mid-afternoon flights, KLM seem to have got rid
of the sandwiches and now offer a cookie or bag of crisps (no big deal
on a one hour flight). The purser was asking passengers what they
thought. A nice touch, and I have to say that no-one seemed bothered by
the change. Early into Edinburgh, bags back pretty quickly. Pretty much
how it should be on an economy class European flight. On time,
relatively comfortable and no hassles. Have to say well done KLM. Only
gripe is the gate security at Schiphol. Seems to take about an hour to
board the aircraft but this is the airport rather than the airline.
|
