Originally Posted by
fifty_two
they are two different companies with two different strategies and situations
Both are going into a downward spiral on their own way , just you havent noticed it yet, as AF or KL veterans here and they can tell you a more about it
I concur.
In the grand scheme of things, there's a global race to the bottom.
5-10 years ago I was favouring KL over AF as much as possible. EU short haul, KL lounges were miles ahead of the CDG 2F messes. Long-haul, the ample Eco Comfort offering made it possible to envision flying Y for red-eyes. I'd only pick AF for J long-haul where product was vastly superior.
Nowadays, the lounge situation at their respective hub is clearly inverted as you noticed. But at the same time, KL is revamping its J hard product on its 3-class aircrafts. And AF Y F&B offering is just a few "improvements" away from being totally inedible -- and good luck finding an "extra legroom" seat on the new AF Y cabin.
So I'd say the situation is fluid, and it's near-impossible to rate one carrier vs the other. Plus, it's up to you if you prefer average consistency or a bit randomness in your travel experience. Typically, KL crews are mostly surprise-less, while AF crews can range from plain rude to amazing.