Concerning Select Seating:

I too have experienced a change in this process. I fly the KL661/662 to AMS/IAH at least four times a year and the last three times I have booked a seat in select seating and apon arrival at Schiphol it has been changed once, and upon incheck at IAH all three times I was put back in the back and a non-elite had my seat.

This time had a lengthy discussion with the manager at IAH (who manages an independent ground crew no longer affiliated with NWA) explained to me that I may make a reservation in this section but 24 hours before the flight leaves their system in Houston opens all the seats again, the reason non-Elites get seats in select seating is simple, they just click on the seat number with an e-ticket.

Apparantly the system is not configured to couple FD numbers and status to seat choice.

Great service guys, each time I must fight for my select seating choice and am running out of allegience to the KLM product.