According to Seatguru, both tyoes of KLM Boeing 777's have AC power in Buisness class, none in Economy class. I am travelling on KLM in ecoonomy class. KLM says they can only provide DC 12 Volt power.
Some background:
In Dec. 2010, I was on KLM's AMS-HKG flight on the upper deck of KLM's business class in a 747. I was not allowed to use my CPAP. I was told the company forbids CPAP on their flights. There was in seat power on board.
On Oct 31 or Nov1st, I was on the upper deck of a 747 again in Business Class.
A person seated in the exit row on the upper deck went on to use his CPAP without asking the crew. I asked one of the FA's whether KLM now allowed CPAP use. The answer was that it has always been allowed, which later changed to, "it has been allowed since Sept 2010" when I told them I was told emphatically that it was not allowed. The flight purser then showed be a book/file to confirm that it was allowed. But, she said, I could not use it as I was seated in the exit row. The other person was seated in exit row too. I was then told that one must get it pre-approved at least two or three weeks. I said one doesn;t always have two or three weeks notice, then they changed it to "One week" and finally to two or three days.
In Dec. 2011, had called KLM and requested use of CPAP on their AMS-CPT-CPT flights on a KLM B777 in economy class. I had assumed, my fault, that there was power in economy class. SInce there was no power in economy class, I did not use my CPAP on AMS-CPT flight. I shot a message off to KLM via their website again three or four days befofe my return flight. In the mean time, my wife shot off a message to KLM too and spoke to a KLM personnel in AMS on the phone. She got an e-mail from Delta instead indicating that Delta handled such services on behalf of KLM for U.S. originating passengers. At check-in an CPT, I found out that the aircraft did not have provision for power and that since it was a medical equipment, I would need clearance from their medical desk to even board that flight. Non only that, I would have to stay in CPT at my expense, until such clearance could be obtained or power provided on their aircraft, at my expense. To make a long story short, I was eventually issued a BP, 15 minutes after the boarding time. I barely made it to the flight.
For my upcoming trips to CPT I contacted KLM on Friday. At first they asked me if my CPAP was capable of working off 220 volts. When I wrote that it worked on all voltages from 110-240V ac, 50-60 Hz, and sent specs of the CPAP unit, KLM wrote back on Friday:
Dear Mr Yaatri,
We thank you for your e-mail.
We have inserted the request of the CEPAP in both of your bookings, please contact us again next
week, so we can check if the requests have been confirmed on the flights.
Yours sincerely,
XXXXX
KLM Cares
subsequently, I got another note late Friday night.
Dear Sir/Madam,
We thank you for your e-mail.
In answer to your questions we would like to inform you to contact KLM CARES by calling the
dedicated toll-free number +31 800 55622737
Please note when calling from abroad that the International Access Code must be entered first and
charges may apply.
Yours sincerely,
KLM Cares
It seems someone else got my e-mail and started the process again.
This morning (Monday) I got another e-mail from KLM
Dear Mr Yaatri,
We thank you for your e-mail.
Can you please inform us if your Cepap also has a converter as KLM might only be able to provide
12DC Voltage.
Yours sincerely,
XXXXX(same XXXXX as the earlier e-mail)
KLM Cares
Some airlines, such as United, provided ac power in economy even when it's not there on all seats in economy.
Does KLM have ac power on B777? I am not talking about just economy class, but anywhere on board. I would think that if United can provide in seat ac power in economy class, it should not be that difficult for KLM, especially if ac power is already on board ! Is my thinking correct?
P.S. I am Delta SkyMiles Diamond Medallion and a Million Miler, not that status in itself can change configuration of an aircraft.