Confirmed: KLM introduces Economy Comfort short-haul
Oct 8, 2012, 1:28 am
#31
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NUE
Programs: Flying Blue Silver, TK Miles&Smiles Elite
Posts: 280
I guess they will do it the UA Way: you can check in but do Not get a seat assignment if all free ones are taken. At boarding you are then assigned any remaining seat, but no reshuffling of elites... consequently checking in as late as possible might become the new gold standard for KLM short haul flights?
Last edited by haggis79; Oct 8, 2012 at 1:28 am Reason: Correct some autocorrection...
Oct 8, 2012, 3:35 am
#32
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), Bonvoy Gold, ALL Silver
Posts: 3,038
I guess they will do it the UA Way: you can check in but do Not get a seat assignment if all free ones are taken. At boarding you are then assigned any remaining seat, but no reshuffling of elites... consequently checking in as late as possible might become the new gold standard for KLM short haul flights?
... It's just a way of flicking the bird to their Elite's (at least Gold and Silver) 
Oct 8, 2012, 3:56 am
#33
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: Delta Silver, HH Gold, Accor Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 5,342
I will most definitely NOT like all kinds of reshuffling at boarding! KLM would only annoy more pax by reseating them (also in EC). Some pax are travellimg with others or prefer exitrow before EC or the opposite etc.
Oct 8, 2012, 5:07 am
#35
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), Bonvoy Gold, ALL Silver
Posts: 3,038
I honestly don't understand the LCC mentality that KLM is obviously trying to adapt (ok haven't seen it balck on white yet so based on assumption).
Squeeze a few extra EUR's by selling "better" seats is going to alienate pax rather than "embracing" them. Come on... There are a few good reasons why some pax choose to stay loyal to an airline and one is getting a better seat, so asking for money to sit in one of these loyalty earned seats is surely suicide on many levels
Any indications on when this might happen?
Squeeze a few extra EUR's by selling "better" seats is going to alienate pax rather than "embracing" them. Come on... There are a few good reasons why some pax choose to stay loyal to an airline and one is getting a better seat, so asking for money to sit in one of these loyalty earned seats is surely suicide on many levels
Any indications on when this might happen?
Last edited by Gajan; Oct 8, 2012 at 5:22 am Reason: merge posts
Oct 8, 2012, 5:23 am
#36
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rotterdam, NL
Programs: Flying Blue (AF/KL)
Posts: 4,711
Oct 8, 2012, 7:14 am
#37
Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: AMS / ATH
Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold
Posts: 7,342
I asked them at Facebook. While I generally like their FB team, this time the guy/girl had absolutely no clue. Select seating..what is that? We only have one kind of economy seat at the moment. Due to the many questions from people who enjoyed EC long haul KLM has decided to also offer this service short haul. It's a benefit for you, the passenger! Right. Get to now your own aircraft first..
So I asked them if all economy seats are currently the same, if they are going to install new seats in al B737s before the end of the month. "I will ask and get back to you". That's over 24 hours ago. Nice going KLM..
So I asked them if all economy seats are currently the same, if they are going to install new seats in al B737s before the end of the month. "I will ask and get back to you". That's over 24 hours ago. Nice going KLM..
Oct 8, 2012, 8:01 am
#38
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rotterdam, NL
Programs: Flying Blue (AF/KL)
Posts: 4,711
I asked them at Facebook. While I generally like their FB team, this time the guy/girl had absolutely no clue. Select seating..what is that? We only have one kind of economy seat at the moment. Due to the many questions from people who enjoyed EC long haul KLM has decided to also offer this service short haul. It's a benefit for you, the passenger! Right. Get to now your own aircraft first..
So I asked them if all economy seats are currently the same, if they are going to install new seats in al B737s before the end of the month. "I will ask and get back to you". That's over 24 hours ago. Nice going KLM..
So I asked them if all economy seats are currently the same, if they are going to install new seats in al B737s before the end of the month. "I will ask and get back to you". That's over 24 hours ago. Nice going KLM..
Oct 8, 2012, 10:55 am
#39
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Norwich, UK
Posts: 127
As so far reported, this just seems to be a way for KL to charge extra for sitting in the first few rows of Economy. The seats will be exactly the same - unless they're suddenly going to refit their entire short-haul fleet to give extra seat pitch.
It'll be interesting to see what happens when all the 'regular' seats are taken and people try to check in & won't pay for the 'Economy Comfort'.
It'll be interesting to see what happens when all the 'regular' seats are taken and people try to check in & won't pay for the 'Economy Comfort'.
Oct 8, 2012, 1:23 pm
#40
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Rotterdam
Programs: AMEX Platinum, BA Gold, Flying Blue Platinum, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 1,280
As so far reported, this just seems to be a way for KL to charge extra for sitting in the first few rows of Economy. The seats will be exactly the same - unless they're suddenly going to refit their entire short-haul fleet to give extra seat pitch.
It'll be interesting to see what happens when all the 'regular' seats are taken and people try to check in & won't pay for the 'Economy Comfort'.
It'll be interesting to see what happens when all the 'regular' seats are taken and people try to check in & won't pay for the 'Economy Comfort'.
What I don't understand is that KLM over the last years tried to sell there tickets as 'one-price-includes-all', meaning your ticket, 1 check-in bag and snack/drinks onboard the flight. It was there way to differentiate with the competition which sells you a ticket and charges you for choosing a seat, bringing check-in baggage and snack/drinks onboard the flight.
Now KLM also starts to charge for 'extras', which were free from the beginning...hmmm...the will probably have done the math to what brings in more money, but short haul flights are under much pressure I thought...
Oct 8, 2012, 1:40 pm
#41
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: FB Platinum for Life
Posts: 1,019
I had to book my ticket via the phone as I had some TDC which I wanted to use.
As my flight in question is for February 2013 the agent told be that from 1 December there should be ASR for intra-EU flights.
Information regarding ASR/EC short-haul should be provided in the month October (no exact date was given).
As my flight in question is for February 2013 the agent told be that from 1 December there should be ASR for intra-EU flights.
Information regarding ASR/EC short-haul should be provided in the month October (no exact date was given).
I was told that advanced seat selection for intra-EU flights will start tomorrow, 9th October, for flights from 1st December. (I don't know what the window will be going forward though - whether T-90, T-330, or what).
Although as a Plat I'm not too fussed about the introduction of EC short-haul, I can understand that Silvers and Gold who (at least in theory) previously got free access to the front rows will be somewhat disappointed.
* OT: Is there a recent thread anywhere about using TDCs? I hadn't realised that they still needed to be handed in at an airport ticket desk within 3 days, or sent by registered post. (As I am currently in a location with neither a KLM office, nor a reliable postal service, that's not much help... Nor is the fact they're only valid on trips which are solely on KL, AF or DL metal...)
Oct 9, 2012, 12:35 am
#43
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), Bonvoy Gold, ALL Silver
Posts: 3,038
Just tried for a flight in November as well as December and got "Unable to load seatmap, There seems to be a problem loading the seatmap for your seat selection. Please try again later."
Maybe a bit too early...
Maybe a bit too early...
Oct 9, 2012, 3:10 am
#44
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Rotterdam
Programs: AMEX Platinum, BA Gold, Flying Blue Platinum, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 1,280
Funny thing, for my flight to BCN on november 28th it also shows 'choose seat'. Also same error, but maybe it will also work for flights earlier then december first.
Oct 9, 2012, 11:55 am
#45
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rotterdam, NL
Programs: Flying Blue (AF/KL)
Posts: 4,711
I was just on the phone to a KLM agent (also trying (unsuccessfully) to use a TDC*...)
I was told that advanced seat selection for intra-EU flights will start tomorrow, 9th October, for flights from 1st December. (I don't know what the window will be going forward though - whether T-90, T-330, or what).
Although as a Plat I'm not too fussed about the introduction of EC short-haul, I can understand that Silvers and Gold who (at least in theory) previously got free access to the front rows will be somewhat disappointed.
I was told that advanced seat selection for intra-EU flights will start tomorrow, 9th October, for flights from 1st December. (I don't know what the window will be going forward though - whether T-90, T-330, or what).
Although as a Plat I'm not too fussed about the introduction of EC short-haul, I can understand that Silvers and Gold who (at least in theory) previously got free access to the front rows will be somewhat disappointed.
I was suggested to check back tomorrow.
Standard rules apply, i.e. 100% discount for Platinum, 50% discount for Gold and 25% for Silver.
Thank you for the information. I will update both posts
* OT: Is there a recent thread anywhere about using TDCs? I hadn't realised that they still needed to be handed in at an airport ticket desk within 3 days, or sent by registered post. (As I am currently in a location with neither a KLM office, nor a reliable postal service, that's not much help... Nor is the fact they're only valid on trips which are solely on KL, AF or DL metal...)
I have also been told that they are going to start working with electronic vouchers in the future so there is no need to send the vouchers by post.
In my case I did not send the vouchers by registered mail as I thought that paying ~€ 7 for a € 50 discount was not worth it. I was quite pleased they did actually receive them.