The other day, having just returned MNL-AMS in "Economy Comfort" - though that second word loses some of its impact after negotiating the poor-excuse-for-an-airport that Ninoy Aquino is, and enduring a 13.5 hour flight (KLM's longest, according to the purser) - I was sitting in Crowd Lunge 52 for 90 minutes just desperate to get the AMS-GLA flight over and done with so I could hit the sack at Chez Moi.

Zombie-like and limping (sore feet, but that's another story), I headed for D22 with little time to spare; security was as smooth as one could possibly expect and, as FB-Plat, I was ushered to the front of the queue and allowed to board without having to suffer the indignity of sitting in the Cattle-Pen.

Once the plane was fully boarded, a very pleasant FA came up to me (I was in 4C, with 4A & 4B both occupied, but I didn't care), addessed me by name and said, "Professor Iii, there are empty seats in the exit rows, if you would like a little more room." I thanked her for the offer but declined (I like the quick exit).

From that point on, this FA and her purser were incredibly kind to me: noticing I looked tired (or 'dead', to be more accurate), they left me alone until we docked with the jetbridge at GLA. Then a pleasant conversation, at which point I revealed why I was so moribund (eliciting gasps of astonishment: "Manila, wow!"), and, finally, a personal "Tot Ziens" from the FA, Purser and (Co-)Pilot.

So, "Hartelijk Dank" to that particular crew! It's amazing how such (some would say) small gestures can make a tired old man so much happier, and how much they can impact one's memory of the journey and the airline!

-- Henry

PS: I should also add that the Cabin Crew on the MNL-AMS flight were also extremely friendly and helpful! It's just that KL's so called 'extra leg-room' seats (B772) seemed absolutely no different from the 'normal' Y seat I had occupied on my previous flight: BI (Royal Brunei) B772, BWN-MNL ... with one exception: the BI plane had retractable footrests!