KLM Flying Dutchman - Connecting NW award flights are 'free' - did you know?

I didn't know about this until my phone call to the FD 'help'desk today. My FD handbook is dated Jan 2000, and I don't seem to have the one dated 2001.

Connecting NW domestic award flights are free when there is no direct international route, e.g. the DTW-ATL sector is 'free' when travelling AMS-DTW-ATL as there is no direct AMS-ATL flight. Connections have to be made within 24 hours, otherwise they are extra at the old rate of 5,000 points per sector.

If only they'd do the same with connecting flights to Amsterdam from the UK (etc) then FD would be a worthwhile programme.

Stephen

[This message has been edited by sjharte (edited 12-04-2001).]

Hi sjharte..totally agree, when did you ever see an offer for the Uk? Never.

1) Does the same rule apply to upgrades? Let's say I'm on a KLM flight from AMS to the US with a connection at MSP and I've upgraded the transatlantic part to WBC. Will the NW connection be upgraded to First for free?

2) Do I understand several other posts correctly that upgrading on KLM through the FD desk is only possible 14 days in advance (and sometimes by luck at the Biz-Lounge)? No express awards for upgrades?

Thanx!

[This message has been edited by connex2me (edited 12-27-2001).]

Definitly no express awards for upgrades. So 14 days before departure is the deadline (where no additional seats are shifted into the awards bucket...), unless you have luck at checkin/lounge/gate at AMS for flights departing the same day out of AMS.

Not shure on the intra US upgrade for uprades of the transatlantic segment. I would guess that this at least will not happen in an automatic way.

Thought a little bit on the outcome of this rule:

Fly Y AMS-SFO direct and pay 50.000 points return.
Fly Y AMS-DTW-SJC and pay only 40.000 points return.

Fly Y AMS-SEA direct and pay 50.000 points return, or fly AMS-DTW-SEA and pay 55.000 points return or fly AMS-SFO-SEA and pay 65.000 (as there is a direct flight available you have to pay for DTW/SFO-SEA)
Fly Y AMS-MSP-PDX and pay only 40.000 points return.

Isn't that ridiculous? But I know that I will look for those "little" differences on my next award flight to the westcoast...

[This message has been edited by ralfkrippner (edited 12-27-2001).]

Just called FD Helpdesk to arrange award flight LAX-CUN. Was offered a direct flight with Alaska Airlines or connecting via MEM with NW, but was told that I would have to pay for BOTH flights with NW because there was a direct option available; connecting flight would only be free if there was no direct flight available with NW or any partner airline.

Scotsflyer, that is new to me.
I was told a couple of times, that a connection in the US is not upgraded with the transatlantic segment, the last time a couple of days ago.They told me, that I had to spend the extra 7500 FD points, if I want to make sure to get a F seat !!

Let`s find out, what is really the case.

I