Meneer Guggenheimer

Nice collection. We have a lot of houses in the family but they also used give away blue tiles. Like to be used as a coaster. My parents must have them somewhere. I will have a look for them. Those where I think given in the 80's. We flew a lot up and down from Hong Kong to Amsterdam (partly??) then and I remember as kid getting them.

I must also somewhere have 'KLM wings' which you got to clip on your shirt. Will have a look.

KL895

Funny... now you say so I think I recall those. Didn't those come in gold and silver, for junior "pilots" and "stewardesses"?

johan rebel

The wings came with the Junior Skipper (boys) and KLM Kite (girls) certificates (see post #16 ). I still have mine, over 56 years later!

johan rebel

Those were given to Royal Class pax on longhaul flights, Business Class got the houses.

They used to have all sorts of gifts in Royal Class. On shorthaul flights the purser would come around with a tray, you could pick whatever took your fancy. Once, to the purser's amazement, I picked the largest luxury cigar he had. I was eight years old, and flying unaccompanied, so I explained that I would present the cigar to my grandfather (who didn't smoke!).

One of the Royal Class gifts on longhaul flights was a small suitcase. Yeah, this one looks a bit disheveled, but it has spent the past 30+ years in the workshop as a sandpaper repository. I figure it has held up pretty well. I may have better looking ones in the attic. I'll have a look around next time I'm up there.

GenevaFlyer

I seem to recollect the opposite (having never gotten to fly Royal Class), but I do remember the tiles rather than the houses back in the 80's.

Or maybe I just got upgrades without ever realizing it ....

But a little Googling tells me it was business class:

http://www.klmdelftblue.com/KLM_Hous...ollection.html

GenevaFlyer

KL895

As mine could not be older than some 30 years (rather than 56...) and I recall them as being made of quite cheap plastic (yours look metal?), I think that either my memory must be wrong or they also made a cheaper version later on.

johan rebel

Yep, and sturdy too. Nothing cheap or flimsy about it.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if later versions were and looked cheap.

Johan

johan rebel

Before the invention of Business Class, KL had tourist class and Royal Class only. The latter also on shorthaul until the mid 70s, if I remember correctly.

Back in those days RC pax got houses, plus various other gifts (e.g. those little suitcases). I suspect that you are right: with the introduction of Business Class the tiles arrived on the scene, whilst RC pax continued to get houses.

The whole family flew always flew RC, unless it was sold out. I grew up in a house full of houses, so to speak. My parents would always give away a handful to any guests who showed an interest, there were plenty to spare anyway. Yet I cannot recall any of those tiles. I certainly don't have any.

Johan

johan rebel

Amazingly, when IFE made its appearance with the introduction of the 742 in the early 70s, even Royal Class pax had to pay for a headset, which consisted of two plastic tubes with earbuds. My parents were stingy enough to make my sister and I share one! (2.50 in 1971 dollars is about $17.-- in today's)

CurbedEnthusiasm

I think that was an IATA rule back in the day. Does anyone know why IATA would have cared if an airline gave away free headphones? Somewhere, I have an ancient inflight brochure and the airline apologizes for having to charge for headphones and then blames IATA for making them charge.

johan rebel

It was.

IATA had plenty of crazy rules. These included restrictions on the value of giveaways, which KLM circumvented by serving jenever in the now famous huisjes.

Johan

johan rebel

Ceremony with festivities and a joy flight.

johan rebel

Boarding Card showing the old AMS concourse/gate layout.

SchmeckFlyer

What do those ancient piers correspond to in today's spaghetti of piers? I assume the B pier is current D pier?

johan rebel

Probably.

I have books on Schiphol's history somewhere, will check.

Johan