apolloms

Flew 2 legs of KLM domestic the other day and it was outstanding. Each flight was under 2 hours, they served sandwiches in coach, FAs were super friendly. The purser on the second flight came up to my seat multiple times in the back and asked me by name if I needed anything extra or anything else.....and I'm only a PM on DL......Their domestic service was leaps and bounds better than DL's.

DaddyRabbit

Agree. I think that KL is very steady. I use them out of AMS a great deal when I fly DL to AMS. For so many reasons, mostly the airport, I have given up on CDG. I will only use if it is essential.

Bagels

As long as USA-based passengers favor price over service, complimentary meal service will not return. IMO, DL's snack and beverage service is perfectly adequate for most flights.

And like DL, or most any other airline for that matter, KLM's service is hit or miss. I've flown the airline extensively and have had some really miserable crews.

GYEWorldTraveler

I can not imagine the uproar in the FT and FF community if DL went the way of KLM and had no IFE, no Wifi, less pitch in many cases and no First Class product or upgrades. I will take all of those amenities over some cheap sandwich you could easily purchase at any airport vendor. Many of my European coworkers and friends only wish they could have a similar intra-Europe product to what DL offers in the domestic US.

Don't get me wrong, I like KLM and they do have good service on their short flights intra-Europe but I would definitely give the nod to having IFE options, bigger seats up front, upgrades and just bring food onboard since all US hubs that we connect through have tons of food options that are far better than anything the airline could offer onboard.

mattsteg

I've certainly had good service experiences with KLM, but as others have mentioned domestic US hard product has a lot of advantages as well. Sandwiches are nice and all, but snack and beverage is fine (and better than the domestic competition). Personal service is something that doesn't necessarily have a direct cost associated with it, but often that comes down to individual crews being exceptional (or not). I'm sure we've all had phenomenal crews on Delta as well. Compared to the other legacies I think DL does a pretty decent job here as well, and when upgrade waitlists can stretch to half the plane at peak business times it may not be realistic to consistently reach the sort of standards mentioned by the OP, as great as that would be.

KLflyerRalph

What domestic service?

All KLM flights are de facto international, you know.

imslippy

I flew KLM earlier this month. loved it totally agree with OP

TheMadBrewer

Have they dropped the flights to MST? IRRC, at one point that was their only Domestic route.

ffI

What happened to the United States of Europe dream?
You mean it did not happen?
Anyway Schengen did happen and these are really "domestic"

tigers2007

I appreciate KL's service but there is one aspect that I have noticed -- they are very strict AND abide by company rules and regs. In my opinion, you are less likely to have a FA break some simple rules in order to get things done whereas a DL FA will try to get the job done, customer satisfied, etc no matter if they have to bend some rules. Yeah I know I'm going to take heat for this comment but that is my perspective from my NW/DL/KL lifetime experience, growing up and living in a hub city. More so with NW. I'm not a union man but I miss my AFA FA's.

MSPeconomist

Yep, although it was more convenient to take the train. Also, IIRC this wasn't real KLM, it was cityhopper small planes or worse.

MSPeconomist

True...the infamous that is not possible response, although I've experienced it more in airports than on board. In fact, in flight, they seem quite liberal about seat belts and I wish they were more strict about hand luggage being either in bins or under the seat. I don't appreciate having some stranger's stuff blocking my exit during takeoff and landing when I can't get an aisle seat.

I find KLM service to generally be very efficient, sometimes overly so. There's lots of food, but often it isn't very good, nor are the wines despite their bragging about their wonderful new world selections.

davetravels

As a STE+ member (GM and above), I'm pretty sure that AF/KL can only see your ST status - - not specifically GM, PM, or DM. Even if they could see it, it really wouldn't make a difference, I don't think. When I last flew AF from TXL/CDG in August, the check-in agent saw my STE+ status and said - - - "What are you, GOLD, or something?" I very nicely informed her (in a very non-DYKWIA fashion) that Diamond is 2 steps above Gold!

MSPeconomist

Some DL agents and especially FAs don't understand the system very well either. I'm always surprised when a DL employee is more impressed by MM than DM.

davetravels

Well, THAT'S for sure!! I find myself FREQUENTLY explaining different thingz about SM to FAs!

A kind of side note . . . . When I was recently UG'd on the B777LR from ATL/LAX, at the gate, the lead FA was addressing the pax individually, and, I heard her say to the guy across the aisle from me - something like - Wow! You're a Diamond! She came to me next and said - - even MORE emphatically - WOW - ANOTHER Diamond - AND MMer!!! Seems odd to me that she was so surprised to find 2 DMs on the plane, especially on this route!