By now, I think that all of KLM’s Boeing B 737-800 have been refurbished with the Boeing Space cabin interiors, and it’s quite remarkable what a difference it makes. They’ve basically given the -800s a new lease on life.
Getting to Zürich Airport
I’m on the 14h36 train from Basel, which should get me to Zürich Airport by 16h04. My flight is leaving at 17h30. The train to the airport takes the northern route through the Fricktal, calling at Brugg and Baden on the way. The ruins in the second picture, by the way, are of Habsburg Castle, which is where the original Habsburgs came from. Habsburg, apparently, is a corruption of Habichtsburg, with habicht being the German word for hawk.
KLM Business Class Check-In
KLM checks in on row 2 of Terminal 2 at Zürich Airport. Although I think it will always be Terminal B to me. Old habits… I’ve already checked in online, so I just pass the counters on my way to security. For a while, the KLM app was a bit unstable and tended to do unexpectedly weird things, or simply not work at all. Fortunately, those issues appear to have been resolved.
Security is quick and efficient and ejects me before the dutyfree shop. Rather than fighting my way through all the shoppers, I make a sharp left turn before the entrance to the dutyfree, to where the public toilets are located. There’s hardly anybody back here. I’m also happy to report that the renovations of the lavatories are now complete.
The Zürich Airport Marhaba Lounge
Alas, no changes or improvements with the Marhaba lounge here in Zürich. It’s still a small, overcrowded rathole. As I approach the entrance there’s a big sign advising passengers to wait outside to be seated. A quick glance inside makes it clear that the place is completely full, so I think I just won’t bother, thanks. A seat with a view is far more interesting anyway.
From where I’m seated I have a perfect view of the aircraft coming off runway 14 after landing. The inbound from Amsterdam is running fifteen minutes behind.
KLM Business Class Boarding
Boarding starts just five minutes late. Boarding by groups is strictly enforced by the DNATA gate agents who handle Air France KLM here in Zürich. Even though it’s not that hot outside, the glass airbridge is positively stifling. Glass airbridges may make for more interesting viewing during boarding, but in the summer they’re a menace!
KLM Business Class Cabin & Seat
There are four rows of Business Class for a total of sixteen seats on this flight. The purser informs passengers as they board that the flight is completely sold out. I’m seated on 4C, the last row of the Business Class cabin. The seat pitch on row 4 is great.
KLM Business Class Service & Crew
It takes a while for all passengers to board. Nonetheless, we manage to push back just a few minutes behind schedule. With a flight time of 75 minutes, that should still see us getting into Amsterdam on time.
The service in the Business Class cabin is done by the purser, and she’s quite unintentionally funny. She’s in her fifties and what I would describe as a typical KLM flight attendant. On 3C, in front of me, sits a FlyingBlue Ultimate passenger. When she reaches his row, the flight attendant is positively gushing. Which is fine. But she just won’t stop prattling. Eventually, she relents. Apparently, even she notices the glazed-over expression on the poor passenger’s face. I’m just thinking that row 4 is likely going to have to go without food if she doesn’t get a move on. But just then, it’s as though she can read my mind and she moves on.
KLM Business Class Meal – Early Dinner
This meal is not bad and certainly a huge improvement over the plant-based beef they served a few weeks ago. I find it interesting, though, that on the list of allergens they don’t mention the broad beans, even though the falafel likely contain them. Fair enough, I guess, favism is a rare genetic defect, not an allergy as such. But it’s becoming more of a problem how often you encounter broad beans these days.
The meal is served with warm bread rolls and a side of salted almonds. For dessert it’s the usual three macarons.
Arrival in Amsterdam
We land in Amsterdam on runway 36R, which brings us in very close to the terminal complex. Our stand is on the D pier, so that our taxi time is very short. I quickly pass through customs and make way to the central plaza to catch a train to take me into Amsterdam.
Hi William,
It’s certainly true that airport lounges are increasingly overcrowded and unpleasant. An inevitable result of more people having access through airline status, credit cards, paid schemes and the like. We, too, often skip the lounge entirely and head to one of the increasing number of nice coffee shops or cafes that are springing up in airports around the world. The only truly nice lounges left are those restricted to customers flying in specific premium cabins, such the Private Room in SIN and the First Terminal in FRA. There are also more and more paid VIP lounges, such as at LHR. Have you tried them? Expensive, but totally worth it for a long wait. And while you generally get your own space and an attendant, the people-watching in the common areas can be next level! We recently enjoyed the show as a Middle Eastern VVIP was welcomed to a European airport by a swarm of flunkies and security people before being whisked away in a huge motorcade of diplomatic cars.
Happy travels,
Gorm
Hi Gorm,
Part of the problem in Zürich, I think, is that the airport seems reluctant to make more space available to lounge operators. Sure, there are definitely more passengers with access to lounges, but both the Merhaba and Aspire lounges in Zurich are a joke. They are no where near proportionate in size to the amount of traffic the airport handles. That’s also why I thought it was such a shame they shut down their ZRH Comfort lounge. So which paid lounges have you/do you normally use, if I may ask? Which would you recommend?
We have used PS in the US (depends on which airline and what class; e.g. yes for a US domestic flight in F, not worth it if flying EK, for example); Windsor Suite LHR – eye-wateringly expensive, but worth considering if you have a long layover/complex itinerary and don’t want BA to lose your luggage…; and JetQuay at SIN – worth it for non-SQ departures and non-SQ transfers only, not needed for any SQ flights or for arrivals (unless you need absolute privacy). Any of them are fun for a special occasion/maxed-out av-geekery! And of course, there is AF F at CDG and LH F at FRA and MUC. Tarmac transfers and being escorted up the stairs to the airbridge and onto the plane is a special kind of thrill.
From the list of airlines, it looks like gounhad access to the Aspire lounge, not Marahaba? Still, that is a lot of airlines for the Aspire lounge. I’m surprised Thai, Turkish, and Egyptair passengers are using it.
Glad the meal was the better this time, though it is funny that KLM serves some type of nuts as the appetizer. They really need to up their catering budget.
That’s part of the problem, I think. I was sent to the Merhaba lounge in the first place because the Aspire lounge was already at capacity. It’s a vicious cycle.