Confirmed: KLM introduces Economy Comfort short-haul

Old Nov 6, 2012, 5:18 am
  #151  
 
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Originally Posted by Milkman
Fully agree. While it does not keep me sleepless at night, it really does bother me quite a bit. How on earth KL can treat some of their most loyal costumers like this is simply beyond me. Getting gold status in most cases requires either relatively extensive travelling or long haul travelling on very expensive fares. Either contributes significantly to the topline, but I guess KL finds that fully OK. I for one will let whatever KL staff I run into know my opinion, and I hope I wont be the only one.

What really upsets me though, is the way they sell it. Improvement? Yeah right!

First of all, only very few intra EU short haul routes can justify a EC zone. You cant compare short haul city hopping with long haul.

They then claim this is what their costumers want - have anyone here been involved in any market research let alone heard of one?

When confronted with it, their facebook crew sing you a romantic song about all the discounts I can get being a gold member, another reason why I'm very ticked off. I used to get to this for free.

This is all about squeezing money out of random flyers while chasing off their loyal costumers, and as I see it, carrying out these politics in real life will create a mess of random upgrades to flyers with no status (or no FB membership at all), while Gold flyers find themselves in 33B or 29E...I say good luck!

Now that transferring in CDG is no longer a complete mess, I shall seriously consider moving all my flying to AF, or start looking for a new alliance altogether.

Thanks a lot KL!
Fully agree. Last year I was about 10k EQMs short of requalifying for Platinum. That included three full-fare business class roundtrips to Asia/the US and North America, 7-8 full fare economy roundtrips within Europe, and probably about 10-15 discounted economy trips within Europe.

Not inconsequential amount of money spent, and most of these routes there are competitors with equal or better service to KL (HKG, LHR, CPH, ORD, etc.). Apparently that loyalty is worth less and less to the airline every day.
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Old Nov 6, 2012, 6:58 am
  #152  
 
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Originally Posted by Milkman

They then claim this is what their costumers want - have anyone here been involved in any market research let alone heard of one?


In almost all of KL's surveys, they ask something like this: "Would you be prepared to pay extra for more comfort/more legroom/quicker exit".

Last edited by KLflyerRalph; Jan 1, 2013 at 1:27 pm
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Old Nov 6, 2012, 7:03 am
  #153  
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Originally Posted by KLflyerRalph
In almost all of KL's surveys, they ask something like this: "Would you be prepared to pay extra for more comfort/more legroom/quicker exit".
Without specifying how much more comfort or legroom, nor indicating how much more customers might have to pay, the question can't possibly generate any useful replies.

Johan
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Old Nov 6, 2012, 8:18 am
  #154  
 
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Originally Posted by johan rebel
I couldn't agree more.

One must assume they have done their sums, and as long as they get one single pax per flight to pay they are making some money out of this scheme (albeit possibly at the expense of longterm loyalty), but it beats me why anybody would want to pay for a few inches of hardly noticeable extra pitch on flights of around an hour or so. Demand for the EER row on my regular CPH flights seems to be about zero, so I cannot see EC faring any better.

Johan
let's hope that additional revenue offsets the loss of loyal Pax to AF, or other alliances. Easy status to be had on *A !

I'm sorry for those in NL who really have very little choice if they want covenience. For those who hub through AMS, we have a lot of choice.....
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Old Nov 7, 2012, 12:07 am
  #155  
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But just like the FB Apr 1st changes some time back, this has come to stay. Nothing to be done about it other than p*ssing a few FT'ers off which is a minimal drop in the ocean for a company such as KLM. I have booked my last KLM flights and from Jan next year I'll start using someone else instead.

Will KLM care? Probably not so it's a win-win situation for all
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Old Nov 7, 2012, 12:19 am
  #156  
 
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Originally Posted by Cupart
I have booked my last KLM flights and from Jan next year I'll start using someone else instead.
Would love to 2nd that but on my most frequent route - AMS-GVA the only alternative is not really an alternative. And KLM knows that quite well.
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Old Nov 7, 2012, 8:32 am
  #157  
 
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Recap on my contact with KLM regarding the matter:

I sent KLM Customer Care a message using the online form 1,5 weeks ago and got a reply they'd send the complaint to Flying Blue. I responded I didn't agree as I thought it was KLM policy and I had booked some flights already that were now effected. No response.
So after a week, I tweeted @KLM I was still waiting and they said CC would contact me after the weekend.
They called me two times yesterday and this morning, but I wasn't able to answer. I tweeted KLM again and asked if they could put a note in the file that I wanted to be contacted after 16:00. Almost instantly, they confirmed. ^^^
Sure enough, I just got of the phone with a KLM rep (called almost bang on 4PM). She said there was nothing she could do; not change the policy (duhh) but also that they could not/will not honour the benefit for flights that were booked before the change. She also kept mentioning this is a Flying Blue issue/policy.
I didn't budge and I said I won't agree to this and I feel they should comp me for the affected flights I already booked, either by voucher of miles. Apparently, she wasn't the person who handled my complaint so she was just the messenger and couldn't do anything.
So now they promised I will be called back tomorrow, by a KLM Customer Care supervisor of still someone from Flying Blue.
All in all very disappointing!
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Old Nov 7, 2012, 8:37 am
  #158  
 
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Loo and behold!
This was sent to me this morning at 11am, but they called me at 4PM there was no solution.

Geachte heer XXXXXXXXXX,
Vriendelijk dank voor uw bericht van date removed betreffende de recente maatregelen die KLM heeft doorgevoerd met betrekking tot de voordelen van het Flying Blue programma.
Ik heb u vandaag en gister geprobeerd telefonisch te bereiken, helaas kreeg ik geen gehoor. Vandaar dat ik u deze e-mail toe stuur.
Het spijt mij te vernemen dat u het gevoel heeft dat er steeds meer voordelen van uw Silver status vervallen. Helaas kan ik u geen eenduidig antwoord geven of oplossing bieden betreffende uw klacht.
De afdeling Customer Care is bedoeld als intermediair tussen de passagier en de diverse onderdelen binnen onze organisatie. Onze taak is om aan te geven waar het mis gaat en aan te dringen op verbeteringen. Het commentaar van onze passagiers is hierbij onontbeerlijk en daarom waardeer ik de moeite die u hebt genomen om ons op te hoogte te brengen van dit incident.

KLM neemt altijd de opvattingen en beoordelingen van haar passagiers hoogst serieus. U kunt er in die zin dan ook van verzekerd zijn dat het door u aan de orde gestelde onze volle aandacht heeft en doorgestuurd zal worden naar de betrokken KLM-afdelingen. Zo kunnen gewenste aanpassingen in product of dienstbetoon worden beoordeeld. Echter de evaluatie die volgt blijft intern en er vindt aldus geen terugkoppeling plaats naar de passagier.
Het wordt bijzonder gewaardeerd dat u de tijd en moeite hebt genomen om uw bevindingen kenbaar te maken. Reacties die van u helpen ons om de noodzakelijke correcties door te voeren.
Uit blijk van mijn betrokkenheid zou ik u graag 5000 Flying Blue kado mijlen willen aanbieden. Ik hoop dat u deze geste waardeert.
[]
Met vriendelijke groet,
PASSENGER BUSINESS
--------
Customer Care
KLM Nederland
What do you think? 5k is just enough for 1 one way to upgrade. Should I at least demand 10k to upgrade my booked flights?
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Old Nov 7, 2012, 8:44 am
  #159  
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You're not actually going to waste those 5k miles on a mere seating upgrade though, surely?
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Old Nov 7, 2012, 9:55 am
  #160  
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Originally Posted by KLflyerRalph
She also kept mentioning this is a Flying Blue issue/policy.
I am not sure I agree with that either..
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Old Nov 7, 2012, 11:54 am
  #161  
 
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Actually, I complained about the fast track security at GVA and the fact that you need to get a sticker at the AF ticket desk before being able to use it if travelling in Y and being Elite(+) (?). The lady from KLM CC kept insisting I needed to take it up with FB since this was an FB benefit. Seems like we spoke to the same - not too well informed - lady.
She refered to LTPE as "platinum for an elite life" - probably a new 'enhancement'.
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Old Nov 7, 2012, 12:00 pm
  #162  
 
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Confirmed: KLM introduces Economy Comfort short-haul

I also complained about the Elite benefits at GVA about a year ago. That was also forwarded to FB while I thought it was clear it was a KL issue.
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Old Nov 7, 2012, 1:15 pm
  #163  
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Originally Posted by pjhartog
She refered to LTPE as "platinum for an elite life" - probably a new 'enhancement'.


Sounds very interesting! She did not perchance mention what fantastic benefits I'm entitled to?

Johan
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Old Nov 7, 2012, 1:21 pm
  #164  
 
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I'm pulling some strings at Miles & More for another FB status match, seems now is the right time for M&M/Lufthansa/*A to offer KLM/AF FFs an alternative...
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Old Nov 7, 2012, 1:25 pm
  #165  
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Originally Posted by KLeM
I'm pulling some strings at Miles & More for another FB status match, seems now is the right time for M&M/Lufthansa/*A to offer KLM/AF FFs an alternative...
I would advise you to do your research! Miles & More has gone through several "April fools" equivalents in the last 12-18 months.
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