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“Professional but dated service ”
Review of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines


Reviewed 18 November 2017 via mobile

Flew business class from JFK to Nairobi via Amsterdam. Despite only one hour connection the checked bags made it. Much appreciated!

The business class lie flat seats are comfortable but the layout is first generation where the window seat needs to step over the aisle seat to get in/out when the aisle seat is flat.

The air is EXTREMELY dry. I think that is become they fly the 747.

The bathrooms also are dated in the aged 747 fleet and they are tiny.

The food and wine are plentiful, but aside from the excellent cheeses, the menus have not kept up with the competition.

The flight attendants are very kind and highly professional. The business class area is well-staffed.

The boarding processes at both JFK and Schiphol were poorly managed. It’s pretty much a free for all. Not what you would expect from a major airline.

Quaint tradition of the ceramic bottles of gin in shape of a Dutch house as a parting gift.

The alternative for this route is British Air. I have not tried it but my colleagues prefer it.

Date of travel: November 2017
    • Seat comfort
    • Customer service
    • Legroom
    • In-flight Entertainment
    • Value for money
Thank hpb2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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11,727 - 11,731 of 33,669 reviews

Reviewed 18 November 2017 via mobile

This relatively short flight was a great experience. Seat 3A was comfortable and... no one next me, hence extra comfy. I had a great conversation with the caring purser. Her smiley eyes, I won't forget. Enjoy running along the canal in Glasgow.

Date of travel: November 2017
    • Seat comfort
    • Customer service
    • Legroom
    • In-flight Entertainment
    • Value for money
Thank roelgrol
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 18 November 2017 via mobile

I have been flying to Europe from Taipei for fifteen plus years so, multiple times per year and at my own expense. I have tried almost every possible way there is to get to Europe from Taipei airline-wise. That include China Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Cathy Pacific, Emirates, Singapore and some others I really want to forget. My first choice is KLM and my last flight has inspired me to write this review. This was a totally personal trip to meet my wife and take part in a four day battle reenactment at Groelle in the Netherlands. Yes, the battle was fun! Now to the airline. The flight originates in the Philippines and stops for a crew change in Taipei. The crew love this as they get a short fun stay in Taipei (shorter than it used to be, much to their regret). The flight has a quite high loading out of Manila, but nevertheless I have never had a problem getting a seat about a month or so before I fly. I pay the extra for a emergency exit seat usually, but I have fly in the standard seats and the leg room is OK if not generous. The cabin staff are excellent and always help my wife with her cabin luggage if I am not on the flight. The Dutch are so much taller than my wife. Food is variable, but as this flight leaves from Taipei at about midnight, I usually pay for and eat in an airport lounge. Then a drink on the plane and sleep. Window seat is best for this. You wake up after about 8 hours and you can watch a movie before you land in the breaking dawn. This means you can drive anywhere in the Netherlands and low countries by dinner time.
Positive: always on time; great cabin crew, shortest flight time just about; excellent airports at either end; direct flight; price always just a little more than the cheapest with more stopovers.
Negatives: padding on seats too thin, use your pillow; time for check-in at Taipei not given anywhere, assume 3 Hours before takeoff but it never starts on time (its China Airlines not KLM); do not assume you will find using your air miles easy, they never have an upgrade seat available on this flight

Date of travel: November 2017
    • Seat comfort
    • Customer service
    • Legroom
    • In-flight Entertainment
Thank RalfandAl
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 18 November 2017 via mobile

Flew from Prague to Taipei via Amsterdam and Shanghai Pudong.

Flight Prague to Amsterdam overbooked. So they tried to sell an upgrade into the business class for 70 euros. Online check-in worked, however the seat selection was deceitful as they wanted to charge for selected seats even in the online check-in. Just click and look for seats with no charge.
Boarding chaotic.

The transfer in Amsterdam was relatively painless, lot of walking. 30 minutes.

Flight Amsterdam to. Shanghai
The boarding was chaotic as KLM outsourced the document check to Securitas. No boarding groups.
KLM offered a seat in the so-called Economy Comfort for whooping 160 euros. You get legroom by 4 inches bigger than in the standard Economy class. The same meals even the same number of seats in a row.
Food edible, mediocre portions.
IFE was average. A lot of movies with Dutch subtitles but no English subtitles.
The service was robotic.

My checked luggage wasn't checked through to the final destination Taipei despite the luggage tag clearly with Taipei.

I was forced to enter mainland China in the 24-hour TWOW. Picked up my luggage and again checked in for the final leg. Leaving mainland China and went through the immigration as Taipei is an international destination for mainland China. No international airside transit as in Western airports. KLM should have given me correct information about this transfer.

Date of travel: November 2017
    • Seat comfort
    • Customer service
    • Legroom
    • In-flight Entertainment
    • Value for money
2  Thank GoGo5858
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 18 November 2017

KLM after 17 years a loyal flyer, Silver, Gold and Platinum customer, KLM are about to lose me as a loyal customer.

Date of travel: November 2017
    • Seat comfort
    • Customer service
    • Cleanliness
    • Food and Beverage
    • Legroom
    • In-flight Entertainment
    • Value for money
    • Check-in and boarding
5  Thank Tony S
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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