Review KLM Amsterdam - Zurich, Business Class

Paul‘s Flight Report

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Operated by KLM Cityhopper

Member of SkyTeam

Flight KL1969

AMS - ZRH / Embraer 190

Business Class

General Impression:

Before the Flight :

Check-in Process: N/A in Transit

Security Control :

Lounge:

Information:

Boarding @ Gate:

Staff @ these points:

Boarding in Cabin:

Welcome Drinks: N/A

Punctuality:

, 12 min delay

During the Flight :

Food presentation:

Food quality:

Drinks:

Service Procedure:

Amenity Kit: N/A

Entertainment System:

none

Seat Quality:

Legroom:

Lavatories:

Cleanliness:

General Atmosphere:

Announcement Pilots:

Announcement Cabin:

Cabin Crew:

After the Flight :

De-Boarding:

Baggage Delivery:

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= bad, a lot of work needs to be done

= poor, you will be busy with corrections

= good & normal, nothing special

= high level, but the icing on the cake is missing

= topnotch, leave me here!

= Half a Point/sheep

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On the Ground:

As we were in Transit in Amsterdam we only had to go through security and do immigration into the Schengen Area.

There was no queue at the security checkpoint and we could walk straight to an empty line.

As already mentioned on previous flight reports out of Amsterdam, the new security scanners do not seem to be very effective and helpful.

We had 8 Airports on this trip, at all other 7 airports our fotobags and equipment were never a problem and went through the scanner without any second inspection. In Amsterdam, which had the newest technology, 100% of our bags went to second screening for nothing! We checked at other lines whilst waiting and around 75% of the bags go for secondary screening.

Immigration into the Schengen area was okay. There was a queue of around 10 minutes waiting time for EU, CH & EEA citizens. Only one counter was open for passport checks and the, young lady there was super unfriendly and grumpy.

The Airport would have I guess 10 - 15 self service machines for passport control. Not a single one was open!!!

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, why are you more inefficient with new security equipment than other airports which are still on older machines? And why do you have self service border control machines? Is it for decoration?

Thanks to our SkyTeam Elite Plus status and our business class ticket, we were able to use the KLM Crown Lounge.

The lounge is modern, super beautiful and it has a very welcoming atmosphere.

The F&B selection was top. They had a big hot items buffet as well a a very big cold items buffet, a fresh salad bar and a dessert area.

There are several drinks, alcohol and coffee stations throughout the lounge.

Staff was very attentive and super friendly.

Gate agents were present but were more busy with a "private party" of a staff member who had her last day than having an eye on passengers or to help them with questions.

Priority boarding started a few minutes after the indicated time and no announcement was made. They yelled the zones into the waiting area. It seemed to us, that on this flight at least half of the passengers were in zones 1 & 2 if you know what we mean .

At the Aircraft door there was no crew member. Once we were seated the senior crew came out of the cockpit to greet the last 2/3 of the boarding passengers.

No welcome drink, no water, nothing was served on the ground.

Inflight:

The Embraer 190 is equipped with a 2/2 seating configuration and for KLM Cityhopper they have exactly 100 seats.

KLM gives out every single seat on this aircraft. That means also in Business Class you have a 4 seat abrest and absolutely no space.

The legroom was vice versa quite good.

It is a disgrace that KLM calls such a product Business Class. The biggest competitors only give out 1 seat in business and keep the one aside free.