Excellent KL Crew: What a difference it makes!
 

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! :rolleyes:

But comparing the 34" to the standard 31" the difference is quite significant.

Agreed! I shiver to my spine at the thought of what those poor folks aft of row 14 felt like after their very long flight (and many were typically tall Nederlanders) ... and possibly without the pleasure of the lounges if they had connexions. I once did SIN-AMS (longer in miles than MNL-AMS but shorter in duration) in KL/Y (before 'Eco Comfort' was introduced) on a B777*, but I was a younger man then, and Changi offers far more by way of 'preparation' (:-:hic:-:) than MNL!

-- H

* Actually, it was (I think) the first B777 flight to depart SIN - all pax were given a wee box of chocolates and a souvenir luggage tag by airport staff at the boarding gate.

Henry, thanks for this post, I especially liked the quote above - in 2010 I flew over 160,000 miles (actual, not award miles) and could have written such a post quite a number of times, especially on the many FCO-AMS or AMS-FCO crews I encountered last year. Those crews do just go up and down to a city and so no swimming pools or reading magazines for hours as some like to comment on.

Highlights over 2010:
- Three times an offer to sit in ES, twice on the 6.35 flight from FCO when ES was almost empty (Ms ##, we see you fly with us very often and it is very early, we have empty rows in the front, would you like to stretch out?) and once for the final 20 minutes of the flight because of the very romantic (read loud kissing) Italian couple next to me
- I got 4-5 stroopwafels after a spontaneous comment "they are back, I missed them the past few flights"
- I recognizing the purser from a flight a couple of months ago because we chatted for some time, she remembered me as I filled in a survey that time. I replied that I was happy to finally have gotten the bright-blue pen and when I left the plane, she handed me a couple...

These are a few examples of what Henry says the small gestures that make a difference. Personally for me, they make flying more comfortably than having 34 instead of 31 inches.......

It's so nice to hear the good stories for a change! ^

Oh the God the Manila – AMS flight!!!!! I do the EDI – AMS – MNL trip on average 4 times a year in Economy. I do travel business class when I have enough miles or when there is a very attractive fare (a bit of a rarity). The outbound flight (AMS –MNL) is okay because it’s a shorter flight time and you can catch some sleep as the flight arrives at 8.30 am but the flight coming back can be a killer. This is because it’s a day flight chasing the sun. Trying to sleep is a pain and the IFE, although good, will be the same as the flight you got out to Manila and you have the hassles of Manila Airport

For the flight coming back I do the online check in but this does not mean that I can rest easy. I get up at 6.00 am and I am out of the hotel by 7.30am. A journey to the airport can take 20 minutes from the Pan Pacific in Manila or it can take 3 hours depending on traffic. Once at the airport the hassles don’t stop apart from some iffy looking officials and sunglass wearing men who look like missing bit part actors from a Japanese gangster movie;

• your bags get screened, passport and ticket before you enter the airport building;

• long queues at check in to drop off your luggage;

• at check in they check your passport and ticket again;

• get your boarding pass changed. Although, you have checked in online the paper copy your print off is no go to man or beast in Manila Airport. This because they don’t have bar code readers and the checking of boarding pass at the departure gate is manually done;

• then pay the airport tax and watch out for the queue jumpers;

• the long slow moving immigration lines. Should you get stuck behind a group of Filipinos going overseas to work then pull up a chair because it takes for ever to process them due to the paper work they have to present to immigration officials; and

• the long security queues, the shoes and belt off process and everyone get frisked;

And finally before you get to the boarding gate your passport and boarding pass is check again before actual manual checking of the boarding pass and passport at the departure gate. I have to admit that I find arriving in Manila a breeze compared to departing.

So the boarding scrum has commenced you, finally, get on the plane and the seat shifting begins. Many a time I have seen KLM flight attendants telling passengers not once or twice but three or more times to remain in their original seats for take off and after take off any spare seats with extra leg room etc will be allocated to Elites and Flying Blue members first. I have seem attendants ordering passengers to move back to their original seats if they have not paid for the premium seat or have a Flying Blue or Skyteam Elite card.

A MNL – AMS – EDI trip from wake up to arrival in Edinburgh can take up to 24 hours and a KLM crew that takes a pride in their job can make the trip go faster and make you forget about the hassles at the airport. On one flight (MNL – AMS) a flight attendant and I exchanged recommendations of bars, places to eat and places of interest in Manila which I used on my next trip. Another flight attendant wished me good well when she found out that I was heading for EDI and poured me a very, very large whisky saying that I will need it to fortify me for the journey ahead.

I have met a few interesting people on the MNL – AMS flight from a freelance photographer who bored me to death about the assignments he had (more bragging than anything else), drunk Canadian gold miner who regaled me with tales of his rather fruity adventures in South East Asia to an architect who was interested in Edinburgh’s New Town and it’s buildings. All this seems make the flight less of a hassle and more enjoyable that’s if you can call a 13.5 hour flight enjoyable.

And a glimmer of hope that Manila airport is getting better. Back in October 2010 they had free Wifi so here is the code NAIAFreeWifiT1 I hope it still works.

Please note that this report is about Manila Airport Terminal 1 where KLM departs from.

I recently flew AMS-ARN. ES was completely empty, Y was completely full. No offers to Elites to move up, and the one pax who did so on his own initiative during the flight did not strike me as one. The purser did not seem to care when he finally noticed, he was too busy doing nothing. The only strenuous activity he engaged in was moving two ice creams from the outbound styrofoam freezer box to the inbound one. It of course never occurred to him to assist his colleagues in the back, which did result in a sarcastic comment from one of them. I'm sure this purser's talents will stand him in good stead on longhaul flights, e.g. MNL.

Johan

Of course, like with every job, you have those..... But they are in my experience an exception at KLM (less so with AF it appears).

Like you have friendly pax, and those who always complain, met quite a few as well....

@Castlerock: Thanks for the report on the MNL-AMS trip. I'm off to MNL for the first time later this month and ít seems I better make sure to get to MNL in time for the return trip...

The WIFI code is useful too ^

A wonderful description of Ninoy Aquino Airport, Castlerock! I would just add (from my limited experience there) that, although the system is as bizarre and infuriating as you describe, most of the actual people I encountered (be they immigration officers, check-in staff, security or whatever) were actually very pleasant and friendly ... it's just like another FTer posted recently in another thread on this forum: "The Philippines is the Country that Logic Forgot!" :)

For example, I investigated the possibility of changing my outbound onward (MNL-KUL with MH) for an earlier flight (I was at 7 pm but I saw there was one at 3pm); so, I asked at the MH desk if there was an MH ticket office at the airport: "Certainly, Sir, it's upstairs!" "Fine, thank-you," said I as I wandered off; 10 minutes later I had to ask a well-informed-looking guy, "Excuse me, Sir, can you tell me where the stairs are?" "Yes! Go outside (you have to show your ticket again to get out of the departures building, and then explain why you want to go outside), turn left, and it's the second door on the left."

I went outside, turned left, and entered the second door on the left. Stopped by a burly security officer: "Where are you going?" "MH ticket office." "Please show your passport to the registration officer, then sign a form, then pass your bags and jacket through the scanner, then you can go upstairs." (And the MH office is well hidden at the back of a labyrinthine network of unmarked passages.)

It just goes on and on and on! For you, Castlerock, going through this sort of nonsense 4 times a year must get really tiresome ... but I hope the visits to the Philippines are themselves worth the hassle.

-- Henry

^Ask for an upgrade seems to work as well...
 

My father flew back from Durham Tees Valley this morning and when he got to his seat in the F70 at the back (the last row: 17) he found the pitch quite tight so went up to the stewardess in front and asked it if would be possible to sit there (there being one of the Europe Select rows).
She said it was no problem and even got served a Europe Select meal.

He said he did not show his boarding pass so I am pretty sure they did not know he was Platinum (unless they saw it on the PIL). His Gold colleague was also allowed to sit in Europe Select.^

All in all it was nice of the flight attendants to seat him in front. But seriously, which check-in agents places a PE member in the last row?!

That was me :D http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/klm-f...l#post15437812

I have been travelling to Manila at least 4 times a year since 2007 before it was once or twice a year since 1996 so I have seen Manila airport at it's worse and the bizarre way that the airport works. It does help if your laid back and have a sense of humour otherwise you would end up pulling your hair out and end up Mandaluyong, that's where the National Center for Mental Health is.

Getting back to KLM Crew, I do think that if you have a crew that takes pride in their work and an interest in the passengers it would make any KLM flight more pleasant and enjoyable. As for the EDI - MNL - AMS flight I have to do it all again at the end of February so I hope I get a good crew coming back so that I can forget the hassles of Manila Airport. I just hope they don't offer me those awful rancid pot noddles.

I hope you're being sarcastic here? Otherwise I wouldn't be sure what KLM you've been spending time on in recent years. Good service and attitude or actually pleasant staff members are few and very far between with KLM - in the air and on the ground. The hard product is not great and frequent flyer benefits virtually non-existent. I avoid this airline whenever I can - unfortunately, they operate a couple of routes I just cannot get around, if I could I would.

Yes, I have posted before that there are apparently two KLMs. On the one I l fly, I meet lots of nice and professional KLM staff, especially on board and are general very happy with their service and attitude. Henry's story could have written by me a number of times over the past year. Maybe it is the expectations someone has?

I agree though one on point with you - the frequent flyer benefits are lousy.

+1 ^