Howdy from Johannesburg! I simply flew KLM’s new Boeing 777-300ER enterprise class on the ten hour daytime flight from Amsterdam to Johannesburg. Whereas I’ll have a full journey report quickly, on this installment I needed to share my preliminary ideas.
I used to be trying ahead to this flight, on condition that KLM has been retrofitting its Boeing 777s with new enterprise class seats that includes doorways. I hadn’t flown a KLM 777 in fairly a while, so I used to be curious what the expertise was like. For what it’s price, I redeemed Delta SkyMiles for this ticket, as this system had one of the best pricing (SkyMiles are nonetheless nice for accomplice awards not touching the USA).
So, how was the KLM 777 enterprise class expertise? It was good(ish). It’s attention-grabbing to see how Air France-KLM is progressing. Whereas Air France is shifting upmarket, KLM appears to have extra modest aspirations. Let me clarify.
KLM’s 777 enterprise class seats are good
KLM’s new Boeing 777 enterprise class seats are produced by JAMCO, and so they’re an up to date model of the provider’s Boeing 787-10 enterprise class seats, with doorways and another enhancements. These are reverse herringbone seats, in a 1-2-1 configuration.
This can be a strong product, because the seats have storage compartments, loads of charging (USB-A, USB-C, AC, and wi-fi), and excessive definition leisure displays. It’s a major enchancment over KLM’s earlier enterprise class seats.
The leisure choice was glorious, with a whole bunch of films and TV exhibits. Whereas there was Wi-Fi, it was practically unusable. I’m undecided if that was a difficulty with the plane, or simply that speeds are slower over a lot of Africa.
It’s sort of irritating that the airline sells each “stream” and “surf” passes (with the previous being dearer). So I bought the dearer cross, but it surely in all probability took a few minute to load a single e-mail.
Taking a look at Air France-KLM, I need to admit that I want Air France’s new Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 777-300ER cabins. Not solely are they extra elegant, however they’ve higher tech (together with bluetooth audio), and the bulkhead seats are additionally among the many greatest on the earth.
So I’d say these new seats are an incremental enchancment over the provider’s 787 reverse herringbone seats, although a major enchancment over the 2-2-2 configuration that was beforehand on KLM’s 777s.
KLM’s enterprise class service was excellent
An actual spotlight of this flight was the service. The women working enterprise class had been pleasant {and professional}. A particular shoutout to the senior purser, who was stellar. It was so good to see how partaking and energetic she was with passengers from begin to end.
For instance, there have been two older Italian {couples} seated within the part throughout from me, and so they had been so blissful along with her service that one of many guys needed to hug her on the finish of the flight.
She had such a very good humorousness as properly. The cuddling Italian gentleman above known as her when his leisure system began displaying all the pieces in Arabic (clearly he pushed the incorrect button). In fact she helped him, however she additionally mentioned “what, you don’t converse Arabic? Then you’ve got 10 hours to study!”
I like how quirky of an airline KLM is
One other factor I get pleasure from about flying with KLM is what number of little Dutch parts there are to the service. For instance, it’s so cute how enterprise class passengers are given little ceramic Dutch homes.
I really like how there’s even wallpaper within the loos with these homes, and a tulip.
I additionally suppose it’s lovable how espresso is served with little stroopwafel cookies.
KLM’s enterprise class meals was tasty however an issue
Okay, so whereas the meals on this flight tasted fairly good, the meal service was fairly problematic. Bear in mind how simply final week, KLM introduced the way it was decreasing meals waste through the use of synthetic intelligence? The thought is that the airline doesn’t load an excessive amount of meals, in order that there’s no waste.
Properly, I’ll inform you what that appears to appear like in follow — they didn’t load sufficient meals for all enterprise class passengers! The crew defined that the flight would have needed to take a 90 minute delay in an effort to have meals catered accurately. I admire the crew working with what they’ve, since clearly this wasn’t their fault.
So the meal service was completely different than indicated on the menu, and my important course with the second service was really a premium financial system meal. It’s not precisely a very good look to advertise the way you’re avoiding waste, and then you definitely serve a enterprise class passenger a premium financial system meal.
What was the meals really like? I began off the primary meal with the provider’s signature cocktail, “The Very Excessive Customary.” This hit the spot, and was served with the selection of nuts or cheese.
As a result of there not being sufficient enterprise class meals, my appetizer with the principle meal was really what was presupposed to be the principle course for the pre-arrival meal, which was a scrumptious kohoko salad with chili prawns, haricot verts, banana chips, and frisée lettuce. There was no aspect salad, however as a substitute I used to be served the dessert that was supposed to come back with the pre-landing meal, along with the usual dessert afterward. Hmmm…
For my important course, I had the exceptional “tasting of delicacies,” because it was described, consisting of hen with candy basil, chu-chee cod, combined greens, and jasmine rice. What a tasty and superbly introduced dish.
Then there was a small dessert plate, although I’m undecided what precisely it was, because the menu didn’t describe it accurately.
For the pre-landing meal, I mainly acquired a properly plated premium financial system meal. The principle course included smoked salmon, crab, and a potato salad. It was served in a sturdy plastic container. The dessert was additionally from premium financial system, although was served within the enterprise class dessert bowl. The one factor really supposed for the enterprise class service was the aspect of a Thai crimson vegetable curry. To KLM’s credit score, this was extremely good for a premium financial system dish, no less than…
I hope my expertise was simply an remoted incident. When KLM brags about the way it’s not losing any meals and shares statistics on how meals waste is being decreased, hopefully the airline additionally takes into consideration enterprise class passengers consuming meals designed for different cabins when this method goes incorrect.
Except for my particular subject, whereas KLM’s meals high quality is nice, there’s one thing about the entire service that appears like they’re slicing corners. For instance, the cutlery set for your entire meal has a single fork and knife, the airline doesn’t have espressos (solely drip espresso), and for all the pieces on the menu there’s an “or” (that means you need to choose dessert or cheese, and many others.)
Backside line
I’m blissful I had the possibility to fly KLM’s new 777 enterprise class, because it’s an enormous enchancment over the provider’s earlier 777 enterprise class, and likewise a pleasant incremental enchancment over the provider’s 787 enterprise class.
The service on this flight was pleasant, and I additionally like how there are some enjoyable parts to the KLM passenger expertise, just like the Dutch homes.
Whereas I really feel like Air France is aspiring to be one of the best provider in Europe, it looks as if KLM is extra attempting to be a very good, center of the pack European airline. Finally that’s logical — the airline faces quite a lot of challenges with what’s occurring at Schiphol, and Amsterdam additionally isn’t essentially the most premium market on the earth. KLM doesn’t have to supply the world’s greatest enterprise class, and that’s completely superb.
Meal service snafu apart, KLM provides an all-around nice expertise, with a pleasant lounge in Amsterdam, tasty meals, and a few basic Dutch touches. I wouldn’t hesitate to fly with KLM once more, and I’d actually want it over something at present provided by Lufthansa or SWISS. Nevertheless, I additionally wouldn’t essentially hunt down this product.
What’s your tackle KLM’s 777 enterprise class?
