The transatlantic market is fiercely competitive, with many legacy carriers of different airline alliances plying key routes between Europe and North America. Here, even small comforts in economy class can help an airline differentiate its product, whilst making a big difference to the passenger experience.
On a recent flight from Amsterdam Schiphol to New York JFK, I discovered that SkyTeam member KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has room to improve its competitive positioning in the market.
Following a short-haul connection to Schiphol, I arrived at my gate to find boarding underway for the KLM 787-10 twinjet. The boarding process was efficient, with each group called in turn. Holding a Group 3 designation, I was on the plane some 30 minutes before departure.
After being perfunctorily welcomed by the crew, I found my ‘Economy Comfort’ seat at the front of economy class. This is the same Recaro seat as in standard economy, but has a few extra inches of legroom to spread out, plus a deeper recline.
The economy seats were comfortable and fitted KLM’s brand. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
The 9-abreast economy class cabin is reasonably appointed if slightly conservative, with greys and blues dominating the carrier’s palette. Each seat has a leather effect headrest with adjustable wings, plus seatback IFE with a USB-A charging port.
A low-quality pillow and blanket awaits each passenger at their seat. And headsets are handed out after boarding.
As a very tall passenger, I was certainly glad of the extra space provided in Economy Comfort.
The Economy Comfort model is an attractive one. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
As boarding continued, I inspected the IFE content, which was certainly good enough, and included all the latest blockbuster movies. A neat feature of the system’s GUI is that it organises content by both genre and age so you can select films based on their vintage.
I also loved the fact that you can turn off the blue lights on the IFE to aid sleeping, or leave them on to assist with finding the ports.
The IFE was easy to use. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
Following boarding, a safety video was played that was unnecessarily complicated. The instructions were presented as animated delft pottery tiles, adding a layer of complexity that I reckon passengers could do without.
The video did at least use symbols familiar to passengers. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
Following a smooth takeoff, I decided to spend the first half of the flight watching Oppenheimer. The quality of the screen was sufficient, and certainly good enough for a drama, but I avoided watching any visually spectacular films. I tried to log into the Wi-Fi but it wouldn’t work for me.
The crew began the first trolley service by handing out a bottle of tepid water. Shortly thereafter, as is usual, speciality meals were served first. I had ordered an Asian vegetarian meal, and was given something called “chickpea masala” though it tasted like basil and mashed potato. I can only assume that this was a misprint, but it was a distinctly odd dish that was not very enjoyable.
The piping hot main was accompanied by a plain salad and chalky apricot cake. When the regular service began, I was able to snag a warmed bread roll too. This was the highlight of the meal for me.
The water helped to wash it down. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
At this point, I was offered a beverage. Only beer, red or white wine, or soft drinks were available. No spirits or sparkling wine were on offer in economy class.
I asked for a sprite and was served a small amount poured from a can into a plastic cup. The cheapness of the drinks service was notable, and egregiously out of kilter with some of KLM’s competitors.
Later, a spiced cake and coffee service were distributed, which was a nice touch. Throughout, my flight attendant was diffident to the point of rudeness.
The crew made me a decaf coffee on request. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
After finishing Oppenheimer, I went to the back galley in search of a glass of water and a snack. Crew members pointed me to a much depleted ‘snack and drinks’ bar facing away from the cabin, and then returned to their conversation. I took my cup of water and Stroopwafel back to my seat before starting Tomb Raider.
Two hours before arrival a flight attendant presented me with my pre-descent snack (again with no drink), which was a sort of vegetable pastry. It was filling, but very dry, and lacked any spices.
It was hard to tell what sort of pastry this was meant to be. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear
A short while later, the full snack and drink service began, and I spotted a bottle of cava passing by my seat. When I asked for it, the crew member gave me a bemused look and said “white wine?” rather than say I could not have it. I decided on another snifter of sprite rather than argue the point.
This final experience rather summed up my KLM flight, and as we came into land at JFK I felt disappointed.
KLM’s cabin is acceptable if plain, and its IFE is up to par. But the carrier’s onboard service, certainly on this flight, was deficient. The disinterested crew made me feel unwelcome. And the meagre beverage options paled in comparison to what KLM partner Delta offers, for example. Some small tweaks would substantially improve the overall passenger experience aboard KLM long-haul.
Related Articles:
- Why infotainment-focused airline safety videos pose a safety concern
- Brand new interiors delight on Air France 777 and A220 twinjets
- KLM finally goes premium economy with new lightweight Collins MiQ
- Passengers not left wanting aboard Air France 777-300ER
- KLM’s Boeing 787 offers new cabins, connectivity
Featured image credited to Fintan Horan-Stear
