Category: AIRCRAFT

Korean Air, Business Class – Airbus A 330-200: Seoul to Fiji

Folie1

Introduction

The first time I visited Fiji was back in 1997. My memory of the trip is somewhat fuzzy – after all is has been 18 years. But I do remember Cyclone Gavin. Oh yes, how could I ever forget Gavin? In fact, my sister and I are still bickering about Gavin, even after all these years!

But I am sure you will see my point. At the time, my sister and I were staying at the Sheraton Denarau on Viti Levu island. As Gavin approached, the hotel distributed food packages and instructed all the guests to stay in their rooms until somebody came to fetch them or we had to evacuate. My package contained, among other things, two Bourbon Vanilla biscuits, which I have never really liked much. My sister’s package however, contained two chocolate biscuits. Now I know my sister has a thing – okay, let’s call it a fetish – about chocolate. Even so, in the face of adversity, and possibly death, I would have thought she would have had the graciousness to swap at least one of the chocolate biscuits for a Bourbon Vanilla with her kid brother. But no. No swap. Not even a measly crumb…

Getting to the Airport

Transport: Hotel shuttle
Departs from: Right outside the lobby of the hotel
Frequency: Every 60 minutes
Journey time: Roughly 10 minutes
Fare: The shuttle is complimentary for residents of The Nest Hotel

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My flight to Nadi will be leaving at 19h25, which gives me nearly a full day in Seoul. The shuttle back to Incheon leaves at 16h45. Part of the journey takes us along the perimeter fence of the western runway. Just in time I notice something big and broody creeping up from behind us, to find it is Asiana’s A 380 coming in to land.

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The shuttle bus will drop you off on the ground floor, which is the arrivals level. Check-in is on the third floor.

Check-in

Location: 3rd floor, Korean Air check-in is on rows A, B and C. SkyPriority check-in for First Class and Business Class is on row C
Counters: There are two First Class counters and two Business Class counters open when I arrive. There is a bit of a queue, mainly due to the copious amounts of luggage the people are checking in. Are they all migrating or what?

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At the far end of row C is security check-point 1. The process is swift and efficient and the staff are very careful and polite in their handling of the cuckoo clock I have with me.

Right behind security is immigration. The agent quickly stamps my passport and boarding pass and sends me on my way.

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The Korean Air Business Class Lounge

Location: The entrance is right after immigration. The lounge itself is one floor up with access via an escalator.
Type of Lounge: Dedicated Korean Air Business Class lounge.
Facilities: Showers, workstations, newspapers, toilets, hot and cold snacks, smoking room.
Internet: Complimentary wifi – no password required.

The lounge is rather bland and dark. Moreover, the seating is clearly intended to be functional more than elegant or stylish.

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The entrance to the lounge is a bit confusing. There are two queues, one for Morning Calm passengers, and one for Prestige Class passengers. I am assuming this means there is a dedicated lounge for status card holders with Korean Air that are travelling in Economy Class. Or something like that.

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Well, at least the view is good…

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Boarding

There is a separate lane for SkyPriority passengers. First and Business Class passengers board through the L1 door, while Economy Class passengers use the L2 door.

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The flight this evening is not full, at least not in Business Class. In the forward compartment, where I am sitting, only five of twelve seats are occupied. Originally I am sat on 8C. However, once boarding is completed I move to 7A, which is the bulkhead row.

Our flight is running thirty minutes last this evening, presumably because the aircraft arrived late from its previous mission. In any case, it looks as though the cabin has had to be prepared in a hurry. Some passengers are missing earphones, others slippers and some do not have either. But the crew quickly realise their mistake and check the cabin to make sure all passengers eventually have everything they need.

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The Cabin

Configuration: 2 x 2 x 2
Seat: 7A
Pitch: 74 inches
Width: 21.6 inches
Facilities: All seats are equipped with 110 volt ac plugs and USB outlet.
Audio and Video: Every Business Class seat has a 15.4’’ LCD monitor. Audio and video are on demand.

There are 24 seats in the Business Class cabin. With six seats abreast that give you four rows of Business Class in total. The configuration on this bird is somewhat odd though. Rows 7 and eight – the first two in Business Class – are located between the First Class cabin and the L2 galley. The remaining two rows of Business Class however, are located aft of the L2 galley. As on the previous flight with the B 777-300, there are no overhead bins in the middle of the forward Business Class cabin.

On a side note, from what I can tell, the First Class seat on this aircraft is only very slightly different to the Business Class seat.

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Let me guess: no urine samples on the LCD? No…

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The Crew

The crew on this flight are very friendly and chatty, there is a good and welcoming vibe in the cabin. Admittedly, I suspect that may have something to do with the destination. I think I would be happy too if my work saw me flying off to Fiji regularly. It probably also helps that the cabin is far from being full. But apart from that, the crew really impress me with their attention to detail and the seemingly sincere and elegant way in which they go about their duties.

Amenities

Last thing before we depart, the crew distribute the amenity kits. The cosmetics are by DAVI Napa, which, if I remember correctly, is the same brand of cosmetics they have at the Peninsula in Hong Kong and in Bangkok.

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The vanity kit does not contain earplugs. However, these can be obtained from the cabin crew on request.

TheMeal

Welcome drink on the ground: There is a choice of water, sparkling wine and orange juice. The drinks are served with peanuts.
Hot towel before the meal: A scented hot towel is served ahead of the meal.
Pre-meal drink: Diet Coke, served with a mini tartlet of shrimp and sundried tomato.
Choice: There are four choices for the main course, three of which contain beef and the fourth chicken. Two of the dishes are Korean (Bibimbap and Bulgogi)
Delivery: Trolley service.
Type of meal: Dinner.

No bread is served to passengers who have chosen the Korean option for the main. The meal concludes with coffee or tea. Koran Air only serve either black tea or green tea.

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Amuse Bouche

Mini tartlet with shrimp.

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The First Course

Marinated scallops, served with grilled vegetables and salad with a balsamic dressing.

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The Main Course

Bibimbap, served with sesame oil, spicy Korean chilli paste, Kimchi and cucumber pickles and a bowl of sticky rice.

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The Cheese

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Dessert

Chocolate ice cream.

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Once the meal is over, the cabin crew pass through the cabin distributing landing cards for Fiji, as well as a bottle of still water and mineral water spray to stop you from dehydrating.

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90 minutes after take-off the first meal service has been completed, which is quite impressive, especially seeing as the service does not seem rushed at all.

Inflight Snack

I manage to sleep for a few hours. When I wake up, we are still more than three hours out of Nadi. One of the cabin crew spots me moving around and immediately comes to ask me if I would like some freshly baked cookies and a cup of coffee. God, this is so good. The cookies really are freshly baked, so fresh in fact, that they still warm.

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Later on, when she comes to clear up, the flight attendant who brought me the cookies suggests that if I like Bibimbap, perhaps I would like to try a Korean style Onigiri with Bibimbap and Kimchi in it. To be honest, I have my doubts about what it will taste like. But I do not want to appear ungrateful either after being taken such good care of. So I agree to the Onigiri. And damn it, it is good. So good in fact that I forget to take a picture of the unwrapped thing before demolishing it!

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The Second Service

Hot towel before the meal: A scented hot towel is served ahead of the meal.
Pre-meal drink: Orange juice.
Choice: There are two choices for breakfast, the Korean option is rice porridge – which is really bland – or an omelette. I do not really fancy either much, so I ask the cabin crew if I can have the ramen from the snack menu instead.
Delivery: Trolley service.
Type of meal: Breakfast.

  1. Blueberry yoghurt
  2. Selection of fruit
  3. Spicy ramen soup with more pickles
  4. Tea or Coffee
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The ramen are very tasty and spicy, but not overly so. Nonetheless, the cabin crew keep coming round to ask if I am okay with the hot food. One of them gives me some advice to dilute the soup with a bit of water if it proves to be too hot. And once more I am impressed with the warm hospitality displayed by the crew.

Eventually we begin our descent into Nadi and I start to get all excited. I am curious how much I will still remember and if the place will look even remotely familiar.

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Arrival

But in actual fact, Fiji has not really changed that much. The airport certainly has not. The cool thing about Nadi airport is that although they have airbridges, you still have the full on al fresco experience. The airbridge leads to an open air terrace which eventually leads you to immigration.

There is a bit of a hold up at immigration. Because I shall only be staying for a short period, the immigration officer wants to see my onward ticket, which, in theory is not a problem, seeing as I have all hotel and ticket confirmations in my mail account. The problem is though, that I have no 4G reception and there is no wifi at the airport. Eventually I am escorted to the immigration office where I am asked to take a seat among a surprising amount of empty Gordon’s Gin cardboard boxes. The officer checks my passport and once he is satisfied that I really shall be leaving the country, he send me on my way.

Getting into Town

Transport: Taxi
Departs from: Taxi stand outside the terminal
Journey time: 25 minutes
Fare: This is interesting. Although all taxis in Fiji have a meter, none of the drivers actually use them. Common practice is to negotiate the price before you get in. In my case, the taxi driver quotes a price of 35 Fiji Dollars to make the journey to the Hilton Denarau resort. Upon arrival, I take the bank notes I have in my jeans pocket. I have a five dollar note, a twenty dollar note and the rest in fifty dollar notes. I hand the driver the fifty, to which he simply says that twenty-five will be fine. Um, okay. I do not think I have ever had that happen to me before!

Conclusion

My previous flight with Korean Air from Frankfurt to Seoul was nice, decidedly pleasant. But this flight from Seoul onward to Nadi is an absolute delight. And that is mainly down to the crew. With their friendly manner and easy going but respectful way of interacting with the passengers they set the stage for a very relaxing voyage.

Korean Air, Business Class – Boeing B 777-300: Frankfurt to Seoul

Folie1

Introduction

I only arrived back from a meeting in Amsterdam yesterday, and today I am off again. So I can hardly say I am well prepared for this trip. But that does not matter that much anyway. I am on vacation. In fact, I am on my way to attend the wedding of a very old and dear friend of mine. So as long as I arrive in time for the cake, everything else will be just fine.

Getting to the Airport

I arrive in Frankfurt just before four in the afternoon on a Lufthansa flight from Basel. With all the changes Lufthansa is making right now, I do not think I could say whether the flight was operated by Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cityline (Do they still exist?) or Germanwings. But it is of no real importance one way or another.

I pick up my suitcase from the A arrivals concourse in Terminal 1. My flight to Seoul with Korean Air will be leaving from Terminal 2.

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To get there, turn right upon exiting customs and keep on walking until you reach the escalator. From there, head one floor up, which should bring you to the main Lufthansa check-in area. There are signs indicating the way to Terminal 2, although in fact eventually they will lead you to the automated people mover that makes the journey between Terminals 1 and 2 in approximately two minutes.

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Check-in

Location: Korean Air has its own dedicated check-in counters on the D concourse of Terminal 2.
Facilities: There are six counters: the Duty Manager’s counter, one First Class counter, one Business Class counter, one Morning Calm counter (KE’s loyalty programme) and then two Economy Class counters.

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The check-in agent is friendly enough I guess, but her welcome is far from courteous. I place my case on the belt and hand her my passport. She types my name into the check-in system and then belches out a loud and obviously very annoyed ‘Was soll denn das jetzt wieder – Now what?’. Apparently they only just switched to a new reservations systems which requires the agents to verify that you are in possession of the credit card with which you made the booking. Eventually one of the Korean Air staff comes along, explains every thing and finishes checking me in. With my boarding pass I also receive an invitation to the Sky Lounge Korean Air uses here in Frankfurt.

The Sky Lounge

Location: The Sky Lounge is located before the security check for gates D1 – D8, from where my flight will be leaving this evening.
Type of Lounge: Contractor lounge
Facilities: Toilets and showers are available in the lounge. There is a small area with workstations. As far as food options are concerned, there is a buffet with a small selection of cold food – sandwiches, Würstchen with potato salad and gherkins, doughnuts, slices of cake.
Internet: There is a bowl with wifi codes and passwords at the reception desk. However, as soon as I select the correct network I am online, without having to provide neither a username nor a password.

The Sky Lounge is, admittedly, not particularly nice. In fact it reminds me a lot of those ghastly lounges you find at American airports, which usually have the sad and tired look of a mid-range hotel lobby. Still, the lounge’s saving grace is that it has windows, providing an excellent vantage point for aircraft making their approach to the northernmost runway as they fly past fairly low above the ground.

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Boarding

There is a priority lane for security. Boarding is via the L1 door for First and Business Class passengers. Boarding for all other passengers is via the L2 door.

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Boarding for my flight is scheduled to begin at 19h15. So I leave the lounge thirty minutes before. I still need to go through security. I am travelling with a cuckoo clock – the wedding gift for my friends – which caused a bit of a stir when I left Basel earlier. So security might take a moment.

The Cabin

Configuration: 2 x 3 x 2
Seat: 8A, window
Pitch: 74 inches
Width: 21 inches
Facilities: Reading lamp, USB port, power outlet.
Length as a bed:
Audio and Video: Audio and video on demand. The selection of films is somewhat limited and a bit strange, think ‘Charades’ with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. I mean, seriously?

There is a total of 56 seats across eight rows, with a mini Business Class cabin of only two rows located between the First Class cabin and the L2 galley. That is where I am sitting. I suspect that previously this may have been part of the First Class cabin, because there are no overhead bins over the middle aisle, contrary to the main Business Class cabin.

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Korean Air’s configuration on the B 777-300 is pretty standard, it is a classic set up. The configuration with three seats abreast on the middle row though, is a bit antiquated, especially given the fact that carriers like Cathay Pacific have long switched to a 1 x 2 x 1 configuration. Having said that, I recently saw a press release in which Korean Air announced that it was introducing a new cabin layout across its B 777-300 fleet that will be introduced with the arrival of new aircraft.

The seat Korean Air has is pretty similar – if not even the same – to the one Air France has in stalled and is currently in the process of replacing. It is a comfortable enough seat to sleep. When fully extended to a bed, the seat is only lightly angled. However, it is slightly too short. I am 184 cm tall and am unable to fully stretch my legs.

Amenities

Earphones, a blanket and pillow and slippers have already been placed at every seat before boarding. A vanity kit and the menu are distributed after take off.

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The Crew

The crew on this flight are pretty much what you would expect. They are all very polite and attentive in the way they go about their work. The guy on the other side of the aisle from me has fallen asleep sitting upright. I think he was out before the wheels even left the ground. Later on when on of the cabin crew comes round taking orders for dinner, she fetches a blanket to cover him up and extends his seat into a bed. Other than that though, the crew seem reserved, but that is mainly a cultural thing I think.

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The Meal

Welcome drink on the ground: A selection of still water, orange juice and guava juice and served with nuts.
Hot towel before the meal: Yes, scented.
Pre-meal drink: Orange juice, served with a capsicum and eggplant dip with sundried tomato and an olive and garlic focaccia.
Choice: There are three choices for the main course.
Delivery: Trolley service.
Type of meal: Dinner.

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Amuse Bouche

Grilled scallop.

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The First Course

Mixed seafood with a fresh green salad and Thousand Islands dressing.

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The Koreans use metal chopsticks instead of wooden ones.

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The Main Course – Bibimbap

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This is just a minor detail, but I notice during the meal service that there are no salt and pepper shakers on the trays of passengers who have chosen the Korean option for the main course. Quite apparently bread is also not foreseen if you are having the Korean dish.

For the main course I am having the Bibimbap. It is a very typically Korean dish made with seasonal vegetables and cooked minced beef. The get the full on Bibimbap experience, here is what to do:

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  1. Dump the rice in the bowl with all the other ingredients.
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2. Take the sachet of sesame oil and poor it over everything.

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3. Take the tube of Korean chilli paste and squeeze that into the bowl as well.

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4. Use the spoon provided to give everything a good stir and mix it until it starts to look like somebody just threw up on your plate.

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Your Bibimbap is ready to eat. As condiments there are pickled onions and cucumber served with the dish. I think it is delicious!

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The Cheese

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Dessert

Panna cotta with strawberry.

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Once the tray is cleared away, I extend the seat into bed mode and go off to sleep. Earlier in the day I had been to the gym, which usually leaves me feeling completely knackered. So as soon as my head hits the pillow, I am out like a light.

I awake just over two hours out of Seoul.

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The Second Service

Hot towel before the meal: Yes, scented
Pre-meal drink: Guava juice
Choice: There are two choices for the main course
Delivery: Trolley service
Type of meal: Breakfast

  1. Selection of bread with butter and jam.
  2. Quiche Lorraine with potatoes, grilled vegetables and a pork sausage.
  3. A selection of jam.
  4. A selection of fruit.
  5. Coffee and tea.

The second service begins with the distribution of a refreshing scented hot towel, which is followed by a glass of juice. For some reason the juice is served in a plastic cup.

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Arrival

The service is completed with one hour to go to Seoul. I change back into my winter clothes and spend the rest of the flight gazing out the window. To me, the view from up here is simply addictive.

Our approach is a circuitous one, presumably there are a few restrictions in place towards the north of the airport. But it also looks as though Incheon is rather busy at this time of day, so we end up doing quite a few rounds before eventually we are cleared to make the final approach and land.

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Getting to the Hotel

Transport: Complimentary shuttle bus
Departs from: Door 14
Frequency: Every thirty minutes at 15 and 45 past the hour
Journey time: Fifteen minutes

In Seoul I shall be staying at the Nest Hotel in Incheon, which only recently opened. I chose this hotel due to its close proximity to the airport and the fact that I simply liked the way it looked.

Epilogue: KLM, Business Class – Embraer 190 to Basel

Epilogue

There is this really excellent app that was recommended to me by my friend, the intrepid M., who is a seriously bad ass runner. The app is called MapMyRun. I think it is excellent because it allows you to log your runs and track your progress; you can map your route, see what distance and elevation you have covered, what your average pace is etc.

Are you wondering why I am telling you all this? Well, quite simply because I regret that sometimes I lack the presence of mind. Maybe I can blame it on Hong Kong this time or the jet lag. Otherwise, I think it would have been brilliant to log a MapMyRun workout of my run through Amsterdam Airport carrying a suit in one hand and my rucksack in the other.

Transfer in Amsterdam

Amsterdam Airport really is the best! If you are transferring from a non-Schengen to a Schengen flight and you are, like me, running out of time, there is a dedicated short connection track through immigration and security.

I arrive at gate B04, from where my flight to Basel will be leaving. One of the gate attendants looks at me and asks me if I have just come off the Hong Kong flight. I nod ascent, still trying to catch my breath, to which he comments that he is surprised by how quickly I managed to get to B04. Oh yes, I think if I had had MapMyRun activated, we would be looking at a new sprint best time. Life is full of missed opportunities.

I board the bus, assuming I am the last passenger holding up the proceedings. But then we wait, and then some more. Eventually, after another ten minutes or so an elderly couple slowly ambles over to the counter and hand the gate agent their boarding passes. The lady passenger is carrying a Shanghai Tang shopping bag, so I can only presume that she and the hubby must have been on my flight. Well take you time dear, when you are ready…!

The Meal

Type of meal: Snack

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Starter – Creamy potato and leeks soup with diced tomatoes.

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Main – Mixed salad with pesto pasta and Mozzarella cheese.

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Dessert – Dutch Speculaas spiced dessert.

Conclusion

TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT…
The flight is pretty uneventful until we reach Basel. We are already established on a very bumpy and unstable approach when suddenly we accelerate and start climbing again. Apparently the wind keeps changing so we are going to have to make an approach from the opposite direction. A lot of screaming passengers and fifteen minutes later and we are finally safely on the ground. It has been a long time since I last heard passengers clapping with relief as we hit the ground.

Oh, and in case you are wondering: no, my suitcase did not make the short connection in Amsterdam. Still, a home delivery is better than having to cart the damn thing home myself.

KLM, Business Class – B 747-400: Hong Kong to Basel via Amsterdam

Folie1

Introduction

As long as I can remember, I had always wanted to go to Hong Kong. Initially, my infatuation with the place was based partly on the old Kai Tak airport and partly on the territory’s fascinating history as a British trading post.

Originally, Hong Kong Island was leased to the British because the Chinese were wary of them and simply thought the Europeans were uncivilised. They did not want them setting foot on Chinese soil and mixing with the locals. No good could come of that. Trade with the hopelessly uncouth was okay as far as the Chinese were concerned, just as long as they kept their distance. And so Hong Kong – the barren rock – was leased to the British for a period of 150 years. In hindsight, the Chinese were probably right to be cautious about the British, considering how they set out to colonise the world like a contagious disease.

My first visit to Hong Kong was in 1994, I was twenty at the time. And I have kept returning ever since. Somehow, this place never gets boring. What I love about Hong Kong is that although the place itself is now quite familiar after so many visits, the city is never quite the same. Things disappear, change and reveal themselves in new light. And all the while it is business as usual in Hong Kong.

Getting to the Airport

Transport: MTR and Hong Kong Airport Express
Departs from: Wan Chai MTR
Frequency: Every three minutes
Journey time: About five minutes from Wan Chai to Central and another twenty-four minutes from there to the airport.
Fare: HKD4.50 for the MTR and HKD100 for the Hong Kong Airport Express.

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The entrance to the Wan Chai MTR station is just down the road from the Indigo Hotel, where I am staying in Hong Kong. From Wan Chai it is two stops to Central, where you can connect to the Hong Kong Airport Express. The transfer is pretty painless and easy, with directions on the public transport system clearly signposted. It is not possible to purchase a combined ticket for the MTR and Airport Express.

Check-in

Location: On the ground floor of the Central Airport Express station.
Facilities: In-town check-in at Central on Hong Kong Island or at the airport.
Counters: Counter 2 is the dedicated check-in counter for KLM, ANA, and Virgin at the in-town check-in area.

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Most carriers operating to and from Hong Kong will allow you to check-in at the station at Central on Hong Kong Island. In order to do so however, you must make the journey from Central to the airport by train. To this end, you are required to purchase your ticket before you check-in, the train tickets grants you access to the check-in area.

The QANTAS Business Class Lounge

Location: Immediately behind the exit from immigration north do a sharp right turn.
Type of Lounge: Qantas lounge
Facilities: An extensive buffet of hot and cold dishes, a large and well-stocked bar, showers and toilets, dining area and lounging area.

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This must be one of the nicest lounges I have ever set foot in. Of course it probably helps that the place is more or less deserted when I arrive. Even so, I am impressed by how spacious the lounge is, how nicely furnished it is and how good the catering is. It is not just that there are a lot of food choices; the quality of the food is also good. What is more, the lounge offers some excellent views of the ramp. From where I am sitting I can see my ride to Amsterdam in the distance.

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Boarding

There are two separate lanes for boarding – SkyPriority and everybody else. SkyPriority is for Elite and ElitePlus members as well as passengers travelling in Business Class.

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Boarding starts a little early at 12:50. By the look of it, the crew is hoping to make an early start in an attempt to have us depart Hong Kong ahead of schedule. And indeed, boarding is completed way ahead of our departure time, despite the fact that the flight is fully booked today. But then the crew discovers that there is a mistake on the load sheet, which apparently had been prepared in Amsterdam. It turns out we are overweight.

During the ensuing delay the crew, both cockpit and cabin, make sure to keep the passengers informed about what is going on. Eventually, by the time the crew have identified the items of freight that will have to be offloaded and have them removed, we are running more than an hour late, which is particularly unfortunate given that my connection to Basel in Amsterdam is – possibly was – only ninety minutes. But we shall see. For the time being there is not really anything anybody can do about the delay.

At least the Queen of the Skies has the grace to try and console me for the delay. And how could any man resist her charms, despite her age? She sounds so much nicer than the younger birds. The take-off roll is everything you can hope for and expect of the 747 – she is much louder than other aircraft like the 777 and she certainly takes her time before eventually, elegantly and ever so gently she flexes the tips of her wings in an upward motion and severs our ties with the ground.

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The Cabin

Configuration: 2 + 2, with a few single seats on the lower deck.
Seat: The Business Class cabin is divided over two decks on KLM’s Boeing B 747-400 fleet. There are twenty seats on the upper deck and another fifteen on the main deck. Obviously the upper deck is always fun on Jumbo, but there is also a lot to be said for sitting in the nose of the beast. Most of the seats are in pairs. However, there are three single seats on the main deck, which is mainly due to space limitations. The first row is in the very tip of the nose. Thus, there is a single seat on 1A, while 1J and 1K make up a pair. The seats are turned slightly outward, towards the windows on both sides of the aisle. Furthermore, the seats on the rows of two are staggered, with the window seat slightly further forward than the aisle seat. As a result, the seat feels very private in that you have to go out of your way if you want to to make eye contact with your fellow passengers.
The entire Boeing 747 fleet has now had the new cabin installed. Currently KLM is having the new seat introduced on its Boeing B 777-300 fleet as well.
Pitch: 63 inches
Width: 20 inches
Facilities: AC power outlets available, privacy screen, reading lamp
Length as a bed: 80 inches
Audio and Video: AVOD, 10.4 inches screen

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The Crew

The crew on this flight are friendly and chatty, as usual with KLM. While we are on the ground the crew make sure they are visible in the cabin to answer any questions the passengers may have during the delay. And once we are airborne the service is efficient, even so the crew still find the time for a little friendly natter with the passengers.

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The Meal

Welcome drink on the ground: Fresh orange juice, sparkling wine, beer (Heineken) or still water
Hot towel before the meal: Not scented
Pre-meal drink: Ginger Ale, served with a bowl of warm nuts.
Choice: Two starters, three main courses, a selection of desserts.
Type of meal: Lunch
Bread: A selection of different types of rolls and garlic bread.
Chocolates: Dutch chocolates are served at the end of the meal.

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The First Course

Broccoli soup with blue cheese.

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The Salad

Couscous with green salad and edamame beans.

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The Main Course

Sautéed grouper with sherry cream sauce, saffron risotto, green beans and baby carrots.

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The Cheese & Fruit

Cheese platter (Emmental and Danish blue) with seasonal fruit, served with Port.

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The meal is rather tasty. Especially the soup is unusual with a strong flavour of the blue cheese, which goes very nicely with the Broccoli. The pace of the meal is also very good, the entire meal takes much less time to complete than it did with Qantas but without being rushed.

The Second Service

Hot towel before the meal: Not scented
Choice: Hot or cold main dish with a choice of two cold side dishes.
Type of meal: Light meal

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The Side Dish

Quinoa salad with beetroot and pumpkin.

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The Main Course

Penne with red bell pepper sauce and vegetables, parmesan cheese.

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Dessert

Traditional Dutch Apple pie served warm, with whipped cream. And a bowl of fruit.

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The lights go on just under two hours out of Amsterdam. At least we were able to make up some of our delay and although we departed seventy minutes behind schedule from Hong Kong, it looks as though this has dwindled to forty-five minutes by the time we enter Europe.

I always enjoy the second service on KLM and I am impressed by the amount of food they serve for the second service. Very often, with a lot of the other European carriers the second service is more of an embarrassment than anything else. But this is a proper meal.

Eventually, the crew pass through the cabin distributing the little BOLS houses, which marks the end of the flight. I collect house 91 and I am good to go.

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Arrival

Eventually we hit the ground at 19:40 and have a relatively short taxi – by Amsterdam’s standards – to our stand on the F pier. Perhaps I should say at the very far end of the F pier. By the time the engines are cut and the doors are open, it is already 19:55. My onward connection starts boarding in five minutes, the gate closes in twenty minutes and the flight departs in thirty-five minutes. And I still have to go through immigration and security…

Qantas, Business Class – A 330-300: Brisbane to Hong Kong

Folie1

Introduction

It is time to start the long journey home. Today I shall be travelling from Brisbane to Hong Kong, where I will spend two nights before I continue to Europe.

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Getting to the Airport

Transport: Taxi.
Journey time: 25 minutes.
Fare: AUD40.- My flight this morning will be leaving at 10:50. So I have enough time to have one last tasty breakfast at the hotel. My taxi arrives to pick me up at 08:30.

Check-in

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Location: Rows 9 and 10.
Counters: There are four dedicated Business Class counters, all of which are staffed. There is a bit of queue for check-in at the Business Class counters this morning. This is mainly due to a large family of Chinese travelling with a hideous amount of luggage. There are boxes, suitcases and trolleys all over the place. And kids. Everywhere. What is more, I suspect that of the eight people standing there, only about half are in fact flying. The others are just there to add to the general chaos. My suitcase is checked in to Hong Kong and labelled with a priority tag. The check-in agent prints my boarding pass and hands me an express card to get me through the fast track at security and immigration. I will also have to complete an embarkation card. From check-in I head for departures, which is clearly marked by a huge yellow arch. I pass through the arch and go down stairs, where the security check and immigration take place.

The Qantas Club Lounge

The Qantas lounge is located opposite gate 80. Currently the airport is undergoing reconstruction. But everything is clearly signposted.

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Location: Airside, one floor up from the departure gates.
Type of Lounge: Dedicated Qantas lounge.
Facilities: A large selection of hot and hold dishes and drinks, work stations, toilets, showers
Internet: – The lounge is fairly small and rather crowded when I arrive. Apart from my flight to Hong Kong, there is another A 330-300 heading for Singapore, a Boeing 747-400 bound for Los Angeles and there is also the Cathay Pacific flight which, presumably, also uses the Qantas lounge. The lounge offers some good views of arriving aircraft, which glide past the terminal before eventually touching down.

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The lounge has all the amenities one can expect. Moreover, I am somewhat surprised by the generous breakfast offerings in the lounge, which certainly put the SWISS Senator lounge in Zürich Airport to shame.

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Boarding

Boarding for the flight starts about forty minutes before departure. There is a separate queue for Business Class passengers and status card holders. The first call is for families with children, followed by Business Class passengers, and then passengers sitting in the rear Economy Class cabin.

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The Cabin

Configuration: 2 + 2 + 2
Seat: The Qantas seat may not necessarily look very attractive, but it is very comfortable as a seat and bed. When fully extended, it is of the angled lie-flat type – although the angle is not uncomfortable. The hard back of the seat is very high, so once you extend the seat into a bed, you feel as though you are lying in a cocoon. It is very private for a Business Class seat. In addition, there is also a privacy screen on every pair of seats. However, I tried it out and I really must say it is mostly useless because the screen is simply too small. It is also superfluous because once you are in the lying position, you would have to lean up anyway to take a look at your neighbour. Apart from a pillow and blanket, Qantas also provides a thin mattress to place over the seat, and once the aircraft is airborne and the fasten seatbelt sign is turned off, the crew pass through the cabin asking passengers if they would like to have the mattress placed on the seat. Perhaps the seat’s biggest drawback is the complete lack of storage space for your personal belongings, which is inconvenient. There is a holder for magazines in the side of the back of the seat, but this is not even wide enough to place my tiny MacBookAir 11’ in.
Pitch: 60 inches.
Width: 21 inches.
Facilities: Reading lamp, magazine holder, electricity outlet.
Length as a bed: –
Audio and Video: Touchscreen AVOD – there are about thirty films available to choose from. However, the selection is a bit odd.

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The Crew

The service on this flight is excellent and restores my faith in Business Class flying, following my really crap experience with Malaysia Airlines from Kuala Lumpur to Brisbane. The crew are all quite senior and very friendly and very professional.

Amenities

Before we depart, the vanity kits are distributed. A menu has already been placed at every seat before the passengers start boarding.

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After take-off, the inflight service manager – ISM (M., please note the funky abbreviation, nearly as good as the POC…) introduces himself and the crew. He addresses every passenger by name as he distributes the landing cards for Hong Kong.

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The Meal

Welcome drink on the ground: Choice of orange juice, water or champagne.
Hot towel before the meal: Served while still on the ground.
Pre-meal drink: Ginger Ale, served with a packet of cashew nuts and pretzels.
Choice: Three starters, four main courses, four desserts.
Type of meal: Lunch.

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The Salad

Garden leaves with balsamico dressing.

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The First Course

Blue cheese, walnuts, baby beans and tomato salad with pickled onions. The starter is excellent, it is very tasty and flavourful. The blue cheese goes really very well with the walnuts, which seem to be slightly caramelised and sweet.

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The Main Course

Roasted eggplant and silverbeet lasagne with cucumber, tomato and feta salad. The main course takes quite a while to arrive, in fact by the time I receive my dish, my neighbour has nearly already demolished his plate. But the flavours of the dish are really excellent. The combination of the hot vegetable lasagne with the cold cucumber, tomato and feta works really well. There is also a vinaigrette with the dish which works rather nicely.

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The Cheese

Selection of cheese served with accompaniments and a glass of sweet wine. After the main course I have some cheese, there is a blue cheese and a Camembert. The cheese is served with a selection crackers, a date and some fog bread.

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The set up of the meal service is interesting in that there is no tray. Instead, the crew place a tablecloth and then a napkin with the cutlery rolled up in it a side plate for the bread and the side salad. The dressing for the salad in added by the cabin crew before serving, and there is a choice of two different dressings. With the meal I just have still water to drink. All in all this was a really good airplane meal. The tastes and combinations were interesting, especially the main course was unusual. I only have to complaints really, if I may. First of all, the service takes ages to begin after take off and when eventually it does, it takes a very long time to complete the whole service. The other point is the cutlery. Good heavens, I know it is Alessi design and all that, but who on earth picked that stuff for Qantas? The cutlery sits badly in the hand and apart from all that, it just looks ugly. I finish the meal with a cup of mint tea, which is served with a small Valrhona dark chocolate stick.

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After the meal I settle in for a nap and only awake three hours later as the second service begins.

The Second Service

The second service starts fifty minutes out of Hong Kong. It is simple but effective. I rather liked it. Basically there are three dishes to choose from. Each one is served in one of those boxes they normally use in Chinese take-aways. I know it may sound a bit strange, but I thought it was rather a good idea. And it is very tasty too. I have the Rigatoni Arrabiata with green olives, capers, broccoli and Parmesan. Delicious!

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Arrival

By the time we reach Hong Kong, the sun is already setting. There is a lot of haze in the air today. Even so, it truly is a very beautiful approach and we descend over some of the outlying islands of Hong Kong.

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Getting into Town

Transport: Hong Kong Airport Express.
Departs from: Terminals 1 and 2.
Frequency: Every six minutes.
Journey time: 24 minutes to Central on Hong Kong Island, with intermediate stops in Tsing Yi and Kowloon.
Fare: HKD100.- To reach the city, I take the Hong Kong Airport Express to Central, from where I will continue my journey to the Hotel Indigo using the MTR. Note that the ticket machines do not accept credit cards. If you are out of cash, you will have to purchase your ticket at the counter, which normally has quite a queue.

Conclusion

This was a very enjoyable flight with Qantas from Brisbane to Hong Kong. The crew were not even overly friendly. But they were competent and they did their job properly. The food was very tasty, with good sized portions too. I also very much liked the seat, at least from the comfort perspective. Now if only there were more storage space… This flight really was in stark contrast to my previous experience on Malaysia Airlines in Business Class on my way from Kuala Lumpur to Brisbane.

Malaysia Airlines, Business Class – A 330-300: Kuala Lumpur to Brisbane

Folie1

Introduction

I am feeling surprisingly fresh, all things considered. I woke up at 05:30 on 26 December to catch my flight from Zürich to Paris. And save for two hours’ sleep on the flight from Paris to Kuala Lumpur, I’ve been awake the whole time.

I step off the A 380 that brought me in from Paris and make my way to Malaysia’s satellite lounge.

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The Malaysia Airlines First Class Lounge

Location: One floor up from the public area, above the metro station that connects the satellite with the main building.
Type of Lounge: Malaysia Airlines First Class lounge.
Facilities: Toilets, showers, separate dining area, workstations.
Internet: Available for free, password required.

There is a common reception area for the Malaysia Airlines lounges in Kuala Lumpur. The Business Class lounge is to the left of the counter, while the First Class lounge is to the right. Even though my onward connection to Brisbane will be only in Business Class, the lounge dragon still grants me access to the First Class lounge once she has checked the PNR for my trip.

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The lounge itself is pretty empty and it seems to me that the place has been renovated or refurbished recently. The toilets look much newer than the last time I was here. Then again, appearances can be misleading…I decide to have a shower to freshen up before the next flight. At close inspection however, the showers look badly maintained and not particularly clean. What can I say? I am a doctor’s son, so perhaps I may be a tad picky when it comes to hygiene. So eventually I decide to give the showers a miss.

Boarding

I leave the lounge roughly forty-five minutes before departure because I still have to go through security to enter the holding area of my gate. When I arrive at C16, from where my flight will be leaving, the place is a complete mess. A beautiful Iraqi Airways Boeing 777-300 has just pulled up at the gate next to ours. As the passengers of that flight disembark, they are blocking the way for passengers queuing for security for gates C16 and C17.

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Eventually, by the time I manage to get into the holding area, boarding for my flight has already started. There is no separate queue for security. There is however, a separate exit to the aircraft for Business Class.

The Cabin

Configuration: 2 + 2 + 2
Seat: The first thing that strikes me about the overall cabin is that it is very dirty. There are even stains of food on the wall paneling and there are crumbs of food all over the place. The seat’s hard shell back  is quite low. Consequently, it does not offer much in terms of privacy. But at least there is a divider on every pair of seats. Storage space is also somewhat limited.
Pitch: 60 inches.
Width: 20 inches.
Facilities: USB port and power supply (115 volt).
Length as a bed: 75.2 inches.
Audio and Video: Touch screen audio video on demand.

As I enter the cabin and reach my seat, there is hardly any room to sit. The space is taken up by a large pillow, a thick blanket and a thin mattress on every seat.

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The Crew

What a nightmare. I really think it is safe to say that I have never experienced such an awful crew in all my life, on any airline. During the boarding process, assisting passengers with their luggage and helping them stow all the blankets, pillows etc. does not seem part of the crew’s job description and they generally have an attitude of could not care less.

There is a large group of Indian businessmen on the flight today and they are, admittedly, behaving rather badly. Nonetheless, the crew are so apparently pissed off with them that they first start ignoring the passengers, then start being rude to them, move on to yelling at them and eventually end up doing all of the above at the same time.

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Amenities

After take-off the vanity kits are distributed. The content is more or less the same as in the First Class kit I received on the previous flight.

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The Meal

Welcome drink on the ground: Guava juice.
Hot towel before the meal: Yes, scented.
Pre-meal drink: Water.
Choice: There are three choices for the main course, but no menus are distributed, so I have not idea what was on offer. I just had the chicken.
Type of meal: Good question…

The meal service is a chaotic mess. One flight attendant approaches passengers and asks them if they have already made a choice, which seems just a bit dumb given that no menus were distributed on the flight. When passengers ask what the choices are, the cabin crew roll their eyes and mumble something about ‘chicken, salmon….’. Ah, so much better.

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Amuse Bouche

Mixed chicken and beef satay with accompaniments.

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The First Course

Something (tuna?) with raw peppers and celery.

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The Main Course

Chicken Indian style.

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At least the service does not take too long to complete. The trays are cleared away, the cabin lights are dimmed and most of the passengers go off to sleep. And so do the crew. There is one guy among the crew on this flight who spends most of his time sitting in one of the Business Class seats reading the paper. At some point he passes through the cabin, presumably to keep up appearances, sees my empty tray and instructs one of the other cabin crew to pick it up and remove it, rather than simply doing it himself. Another crew member is sleeping on the jump seat, with his legs sprawling across the aisle. I have to climb over him to get to the toilet.

The Second Service

The second service is hardly worth mentioning. It consists of two rather small and bland canapés – one with cream cheese and the other with a strange combination of marinated spicy chicken, tomato sauce and pineapple.

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Arrival

By the time we start our descent into Brisbane it is already getting dark outside. Our approach sees us approaching the airport from the west and then executing a left-hand 270 degrees turn to land in a southerly direction.

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The international terminal is deserted when we arrive. Malaysia Airlines hands out express cards for immigration and customs to their Business Class passengers. But the airport is so quiet this evening that the express lane for customs has already closed down.

Getting into Town

Transport: Taxi.
Departs from: Taxi rank in front of the terminal building.
Journey time: 25 Minutes.
Fare: AUD47.- to New Farm.

There are bus and train services that frequently run from the airport into the city and to Gold Coast and Surfer’s Paradise. But according to Google Maps the journey by public transport to where I am going will take more than an hour. So I think I shall take a taxi, if that is all the same with you.

Conclusion

Good heavens, what on earth was that? I mean Malaysia Airlines, really? As I already mentioned in my previous post, their First Class product on the A 380 is a lot more like a Business Class experience on other Asian carriers, although the hardware on the A 380 is excellent. But this last flight from Kuala Lumpur to Brisbane in Business Class was a complete and utter nightmare. I am aware of the fact that the carrier has been brought under government control in a bid to stabilise the company before moving ahead with privatisation. But to be perfectly honest, as far as I can tell privatisation has definitely put the carrier in a downward spiral it may not recover from. Especially on the last flight it became apparent that the staff’s motivation has reached rock bottom. Paired with the fact that their hard product in Business Class is no longer competitive with the likes of Thai, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific or Emirates, it seems hardly unlikely that Malaysia Airlines will rise from the ashes the way the Malaysian government is intending. Pity.

Malaysia Airlines, First Class – A 380: Paris to Kuala Lumpur

Folie1

Transfer in Paris Roissy

I just landed in Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on a SWISS flight from Zürich. The only benefit in choosing SWISS over Air France for this journey is that they operate out of Terminal 1 – which is the same terminal Malaysia Airlines uses.

Check-in

Location: Hall 5, in the basement of Terminal 1.
Facilities: Airport check-in.
Counters: Dedicated Malaysia Airlines counters, with a separate counter for First Class passengers.

Online check-in is not available for this flight because the trip was not booked via the Malaysia Airlines website. And using the Malaysia App only works if you are a member of their frequent flyer programme. So upon arrival from Zürich I head landside and then three floors down to the Malaysia Airlines counters to check-in for my flight. I have hand luggage only. The agent issues my boarding passes for Kuala Lumpur and beyond, hands me an invitation to the lounge and wishes me a good flight.

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Finding your way around Roissy 1 is not easy. Being a circle, you would think the place would be easy enough to navigate. But perhaps precisely because the building is round it can be quite challenging to find your bearings.

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The Salon Icare Lounge

Location: The lounge is located in the main building, before you cross over to the satellite.
Type of Lounge: ICARE Aéroports de Paris contractor lounge.
Facilities: A small bar area, there are no toilet facilities in the lounge.
Internet: Available, no password required.

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The ICARE lounge leaves much to be desired. It is not a First Class lounge, just a very generic, old-fashioned and tired looking facility. There are even a few old Lufthansa seats. But it serves its purpose and the wifi connection is good enough for me to upload the first part of this trip report, covering my somewhat disappointing flight with SWISS from Zürich to Paris.

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Boarding

Departure for the flight is scheduled for 12:00. The gate opens at 10:30 and boarding starts at 11:15. The A 380 is a big girl. As a result, it takes three gates to board the aircraft. Gate 48 on the far left is for Economy Class passengers on the main deck. Gate 47 is for First Class passengers and status card holders, while gate 46 is for Business Class passengers and Economy Class passengers seated on the upper deck.

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The Cabin

Configuration: 1 + 2 + 1
Seat: Malaysia Airlines has its First Class cabin on the lower deck. There are eight seats on two rows. The seat is large and plush and offers a lot of privacy. Perhaps the seat’s most striking feature is the huge amount of stowage space for small items in the sides. In addition, every seat has its own closet with three hangars. And there is enough space under the ottoman to stow one piece of carry on luggage. For passengers travelling with bulky items, there is also a separate, large locker at the front of the First Class cabin.

The seat has warm colours – red and brown – which give the cabin a very welcoming and cosy look and feel. All in all, the seat is very comfortable, also when extended into a bed.

Pitch: 89 inches
Width: 26.1 inches
Facilities: USB port and power supply (115 volt).
Length as a bed: 87 inches
Audio and Video: 23 inch monitor with audio and video on demand.

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Admittedly, the toilets on Malaysia’s A 380 are nowhere near as fancy and large as the ones Lufthansa has installed in First Class on the A 380. But they are large enough for an averagely sized adult male, okay me, to change comfortably. The toilet is stocked with Aigner cosmetics, including different eau de toilette for men and women.

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The Crew

There are four cabin crew working the First Class cabin – one female and three males. The purser comes to introduce himself and shakes my hand, which I think is a very nice gesture. The crew are all very charming, friendly and chatty. Their English is really excellent, which already struck me the last time I flew with Malaysia Airlines from Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong last year.

Amenities

In between the hot towel and the welcome drink the female flight attendant comes along with a large paper bag containing goodies for the flight. The bag contains:

  1. Pyjamas in my size (L)
  2. Decently sized slippers (I wear a size 46 shoe).
  3. A decent size vanity kit containing Bulgari cosmetics (Essence de Thé Blanc), a dental kit with Colgate toothbrush, tooth past and mouthwash, socks and eye shades. There are no earplugs in the kit. Shaving sets, more tooth brushes and combs are available in the toilet.

The flight attendant informs me that she will bring the earphones after take-off, once the IFE starts working.

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We take off in a westerly direction. I know I say this every time, but the A 380 really is amazing. Despite its size the aircraft accelerates rapidly down the runway, even though the flight is pretty full today. During the take-off roll the noise from the engines is so quiet that I can even hear a baby crying somewhere on the upper deck!

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The Meal

Welcome drink on the ground: Orange juice.
Hot towel before the meal: Yes.
Pre-meal drink: Mineral water and a half glass of Dom Pérignon 2004, which I took more out of curiosity than anything else.
Choice: Three starters and main courses.
Delivery: À la carte service.
Type of meal: Lunch.

The meal starts immediately once the fasten seatbelt sign has been turned off. The pace of the service is excellent, there are no long waits but there is enough time between the courses for the meal not to be rushed. The crew are very attentive, making sure that glasses are regularly replenished.

Amuse Bouche

Duck magret and melon balls skewer.

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The Satay Course

Charcoal hand grilled beef and chicken satay with peanut sauce and accompaniments.

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The Caviar Service

Served with smoked salmon and asparagus, blinis, chopped onion, parley, crème fraîche and lemon.

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The Soup

Cream of potato with marinated chicken and crispy onion.

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The Main Course

Chicken Biryani with rice and vegetable pickles.

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The Fruit

A selection of fresh fruit.

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Dessert

Crunchy coffee pastry.

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After the meal I have a short nap. The flight attendant sees me settling in and brings me a larger, more comfortable and fluffy pillow and a thick blanket. However, he does not suggest making up my bed. So to be honest, I am not entirely sure if Malaysia even do a turn down service like SWISS or British Airways for example.

The Inflight Snack

I spend the rest of the flight in the cosiness of the warm cabin, lying under my blanket reading. Around halfway into the flight, roughly somewhere north of Karachi, I start to feel peckish again. I think it is time for another dose of protein and carbs. So I order the noodles in a vegetable-based soup with shredded chicken, prawns, bean curd, fish balls and Asian greens from the snack menu. The soup is served with a healthy dose of chilli and crispy onions. And to finish off the meal I have two freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

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The Second Service

Wake up drink: Orange juice.
Hot towel before the meal: Yes.
Choice: Four main courses.
Delivery: À la carte service.
Type of meal: Breakfast.
Meal:

  1. Juice – fresh orange juice.
  2. Fresh fruits – melon, grapefruit, grapes, papaya, pineapple.
  3. Bread – individual basket with assorted rolls, served with strawberry jam and marmalade.
  4. Hot meal – Nasi Lemak – rice cooked in coconut milk and served with fresh ginger, prawn sambal, with traditional accompaniments (dried fish, peanuts, cucumber, boiled egg).
  5. Hot drink – Teh Tarik (milky sweet tea).

The second service starts about 90 minutes out of KL. Slowly the lights go on and I am brought a glass of fresh orange juice and a hot towel. Once more the service is swift and well paced. The food is very tasty, especially the Nasi Lemak is very fragrant and quite spicy.

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Arrival

Our arrival and approach into KL is quite spectacular. Below us there are thick clouds with frequent flashes of lightning. It is a spectacular backdrop as we descend through thick layers of cloud towards our destination. And then we land.

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All in all I enjoyed this Malaysia Airlines First Class experience, although it was a bit of a mixed bag. The hardware – the seat – is certainly very nice, in fact it is one of my favourites. However, as far as the service and the food is concerned, both looked and felt a lot more like a Business Class flight, and not even an exceptionally good one. It is the little details that can make a huge difference. And this is where I thought Malaysia was lacking, particularly compared to the competition.

I am still not quite there yet. One more flight to go…

KLM, Business Class – A 330-200: Basel via Amsterdam to Montreal

Folie1

Introduction

Normally I make a point of arriving at the airport about two hours before departure – just in case. But I have now been travelling for five weeks – sixteen flights later and to be quite honest, I think I have had enough. Besides, this is Basel airport, so it is quite enough for me to arrive just over one hour before departure.

I am on my way to Montreal for another visit to ICAO. I am flying via Amsterdam, as usual. The only difference being – and it really does give me quite a pang to have to accept it – that the flight is no longer operated by the mighty MD-11 and has been transferred to the Airbus A 330.

Getting to the Airport

Transport: Bus line 50
Departs from: Outside the main entrance to Basel’s Swiss railway station on the station square.
Frequency: Every 10 minutes.
Journey time: 15 minutes
Fare: CHF5.60

Check-in

Location: In the French sector
Facilities: Self-service check-in machines and counters
Counters: Check-in for all KLM flights is done by Air France at Basel airport.

There is a fast track for security if you are a status card holder or travelling in Business Class. But the boarding pass scanner is only able to read the bar code on the boarding passes printed at the counter. Passbook and online check-in boarding passes will not gain you access to the fast track.

The Skyview Lounge

Location: Near gate 44, where the terminal forks for the non-Schengen area – there is no lounge in the non-Schengen sector.
Type of Lounge: Swissport Skyview lounge
Facilities: Toilets, showers, bar, work stations, hot and cold snacks.
Internet: Free wifi is available, no password is required but you must provide your details when you log in.

Passengers flying with KLM are entitled to use the lounge, Air France passengers are not because the flights from Basel to Paris are treated as domestic services.

Boarding

There are two lines for boarding and a dedicated queue for SkyPriority passengers. Inevitably nobody bothers to take the right queue and priority is not enforced either.

The Cabin

Aircraft: Embraer 190
Configuration: 2 + 2
Seat: It is the standard European Economy Class seat with one of the seats on every row left empty. There are two rows of Business Class.

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I am the only passenger flying Business Class on today’s flight, so I have the entire cabin to myself. The Embraer is a strange plane. On the one hand, I rather like the layout and design of the cabin, which feels a lot more modern than that of the Fokker 70, which KLM also operates on this route. On the other hand though, the seat is not particularly comfortable. I always find that the seat is too low. As a result, my legs usually start to ache after just a short while.

The Crew

The service in Business Class is done by the lead flight attendant, who seems friendly enough. In total there are two cabin crew on the flight.

The Meal

Welcome drink on the ground: Bottle of still water
Pre-meal drink: With just me in the cabin, the crew take things at a leisurely pace. There is even time for a drink before the meal. I have a Diet Coke and some of those tasty smoked almonds.
Choice: Vegetarian sandwich (cheese) or beef sandwich
Delivery: Cardboard box
Type of meal: Light lunch

  1. Cheese sandwich.
  2. Mixed salad with mozzarella pearls.
  3. Speculatius crumble for dessert.

The meal is tasty and perfectly adequate for the duration of the flight.

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Transfer in Amsterdam

I enter the terminal building at around 13h20. I now have slightly less than two hours to make my connection to Montreal.

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I already have the boarding pass for my flight to Montreal and my suitcase has been checked through as well. My flight will be leaving from the D gates, passed immigration. The immigration counters are located next to the stairs leading up to the KLM Schengen Crown Lounge and the C gates.

At immigration there are machines available for travellers with biometric passports, but from what I understand, these may only be used by holders of a European Union passport.

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The KLM Crown Lounge

Location: The non-Schengen Crown Lounge is located above the F gates, if you are walking at a leisurely pace it may take you about ten minutes to reach the D gates.
Type of Lounge: Dedicated KLM lounge.
Facilities: Showers, bathrooms, quiet rooms, work stations, hot and cold snacks, bar.
Internet: Free wifi, the code changes daily and is displayed in various locations throughout the lounge.

Amsterdam airport is currently undergoing modification and extension. As a result, most of the windows in the lounge have been covered over to mask the constructions site.

Boarding

The boarding pass shows a boarding time of 14h15, which is exactly one hour before departure. This is due to the fact that passengers will have to undergo a further security screening before entering the holding area of the gate. If you arrive at the indicated boarding time, you usually end up having to queue quite a bit. So it is better to arrive about thirty minutes prior to departure, when most passengers are already in the holding area.

There is a dedicated queue for security for SkyPriority and Business Class passengers. The actual boarding normally starts about thirty minutes before departure with a call for Business Class passengers and then families with children.

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The Cabin

Configuration: 2 + 2 + 2.
Seat: KLM currently offers three different Business Class products on its wide-body fleet. There is the new fully horizontal life-flat, which is only installed on the Boeing B 747-400. Although from what I understand this seat is about to be introduced to the B 777 fleet as well.

And then there is the angled lie-flat seat installed on the Boeing B 777-300 and the Airbus A 330-300. If I am not mistaken, this is pretty much the same seat Air France has installed in its wide-bodies right now.

And finally of course, there is the old angled seat on the Boeing B 777-200 and the Airbus A 330-200, which is what I shall be travelling in today. This seat is really passed it. It is comfortable enough to lounge in but it can be a tad difficult to sleep in unless you really are completely exhausted. It is the same seat KLM used to have on the MD-11 until she was decommissioned. But somehow, on the A 330 it just seems very dated. Legroom on the first row is very good, but nowhere near as good as on the MD-11.
Facilities: Reading lamp, power outlet, noise cancelling earphones.

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Upon entering the cabin, there is already a blanket and a pillow at every seat. Menus are distributed after departure. Luckily enough for me, the seat next to me is one of the few to remain empty on today’s flight.

The Crew

As usual with KLM, the cabin crew are quite senior and very professional. In short succession one flight attendant comes to hang up my coat before I am offered a welcome drink and a vanity kit. There are different kits for men and women. For a welcome drink there is a choice of sparkling wine, beer, orange juice and still water.

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We push back on time. We shall be departing from runway 18L today and there is a queue of six aircraft ahead of us and another six behind us. As we taxi out, I look across to KLM’s huge MRO facility on the other side of the field. And that is when I suddenly catch a glimpse of her, standing quietly in the shadows. The last time I flew to Montreal it was the might MD-11 that carried me there. Such fond memories… Oh Audrey, Maria, Florence; we could have been happy together…how could you desert me like that?

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The Meal

Welcome drink on the ground: Fresh orange juice
Hot towel before the meal: The scented hot towels KLM has on offer in Business Class are truly excellent, much better than those flimsy little things BA offers in First.
Pre-meal drink: Another fresh orange juice, the drink is served with a bowl of nuts or a selection of Dutch cheese.
Choice: Two starters and three mains.
Delivery: Trolley service
Type of meal: Full meal

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The First Course

Shrimps with grapes and mint oil with garlic and almond soup.

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The Salad

Rice salad with beetroot, goat cheese and pine nuts with a raspberry dressing.

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The Main Course

Braised veal with gnocchi and vegetables.

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The Cheese & Fruit

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The food on KLM is normally quite good in Business Class, as is the service. And today’s flight is no exception, at least as far as the quality of the food is concerned. But for some reason the service is taking an eternity to complete. In fact it lasts for more than two hours and thirty minutes from the moment I am served a drink and the bowl of nuts to when eventually everything is cleared away. I do not really mind that on a flight of maybe twelve hours. But on a flight of only slightly more than seven hours I really do think it should be possible to deliver a faster service.

Once the meal is over I settle in with my Kindle and spend the rest of the flight reading and gazing out the window. The scenery outside is quite beautiful. We are routing relatively far up north, grazing the southern tip of Greenland.

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The Second Service

Type of meal: Snack
Choice: There are two main dishes to choose from

  1. Waldorf salad
  2. Vegetarian club sandwich
  3. Warm Dutch apple pie
  4. Crisps

With slightly less than two hours to go to Montreal the second service begins. Before the meal starts, a second hot towel is offered by the crew. The meal is perfectly adequate for the time of day and the duration of the flight.

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Arrival

The crew clear the trays. The distribution of the famous little Bols houses marks the end of the flight.

We arrive exactly on time. Quite surprisingly, the airport is completely deserted. There is no queue for immigration and the suitcases arrive in next to no time at all.

Getting into Town

Transport: Taxi
Departs from: Dedicated taxi stand
Journey time: About 25 minutes
Fare: Fixed at CAD40.-

Conclusion

This was another good flight by KLM today. Their service is perhaps not as refined and elegant was what you get on Cathay Pacific or Swiss. But what always impresses me about KLM is that their service is very consistent and I have as yet to experience a bad crew.

This was my first trip to Montreal on KLM that was not operated by an MD-11. For sure, the A 330 is the more modern aircraft. Even so, personally I think the MD-11 was just so much more fun.