KLM Europe Boarding Rant
#17
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EDI
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I'm honestly not sure if the sign says Zone 1 first (will take a close look next time and take a pic), however it stands to reason that they should be boarding business class passengers first, ahead of economy (regardless of status), this is part of what business class passengers are paying for. KL is basically saying FB silver and business class are equal when it comes to boarding order. Doesn't make much sense to me.
This is what it says on the website: https://www.klm.com/travel/gb_en/pre...ents/index.htm
"Prior to the boarding process, we invite passengers with reduced mobility and families with babies under the age of 2 to pre-board first. They are directly followed by our Business Class and SkyPriority passengers.
At many airports, we use zone boarding. Your zone is stated on your boarding pass and depends on your travel class, fare type and frequent flyer level. Passengers in zone 1 are the first to board, followed by zones 2 through 5."
This is what it says on the website: https://www.klm.com/travel/gb_en/pre...ents/index.htm
"Prior to the boarding process, we invite passengers with reduced mobility and families with babies under the age of 2 to pre-board first. They are directly followed by our Business Class and SkyPriority passengers.
At many airports, we use zone boarding. Your zone is stated on your boarding pass and depends on your travel class, fare type and frequent flyer level. Passengers in zone 1 are the first to board, followed by zones 2 through 5."
I've never been on a KLM plane and seen zone1 called ahead of zone 2. Certainly different in the US when flying on Delta metal.
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2016
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Posts: 12
If you go through the booking process at KLM.com, business class tickets are entitled to Sky Priority, no commitment to Zone 1 or boarding ahead of zone 2. Always seems to be 1&2/SP, occasionally then 3, followed by everyone else.
I've never been on a KLM plane and seen zone1 called ahead of zone 2. Certainly different in the US when flying on Delta metal.
I've never been on a KLM plane and seen zone1 called ahead of zone 2. Certainly different in the US when flying on Delta metal.
#19
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Johan
#20
Join Date: Mar 2019
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Having been more of a Star Alliance passenger in the past where priority boarding only comes with Senator/Gold status which isnt that easy to get it always surprised me that in Skyteam its one of the first perks you receive.
I agree some more selectivity would make this feature more attractive
I agree some more selectivity would make this feature more attractive
#21
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: mostly not far from AMS, otherwise NUE
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Posts: 2,379
It definitely happens on flights from GRU, where they have separate lines for C and "SP", I don't know where they board FB Silver from though.
#22
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EDI
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That's 8 return flights from AMS to Washington a year. That's a loyal customer, more than worthy of being amongst the first 10% on passengers on the plane.
Perhaps the wider benefits of SkyPriority need addressed.
#23
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: Flying Blue Plat, Air Europa Silver, IHG Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,007
I see both points of view here. When I am in economy, I want to be one of the first to board. When I'm in business, I want to be one of the first to board. Now, whether I am first or 10th does not bother me, but I certainly would not want to be 40th, as is the case sometimes on elite-heavy routes like AMS-Paris.
#24
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Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 569
This is continental Europe. Many continental European companies don't pay for business class when employees/agents are on a short-haul itinerary, where flight times frequently aren't longer than an hour or two.
Hence, many of the most valuable customers sit in economy class. It may make good financial sense to show appreciation to these customers by letting them board along with business.
Especially if a good fraction of the business class consists of less valuable customers on a feeder flight to long haul (including tourists on a semi-annual business class long-haul ticket etc.).
Disclaimer: Just making a case above, not a general statement. I do realize there are intra-European routes (such as LHR-LUX, LHR-ZRH, LCY-FRA, etc.) where you have a high proportion of execs in J who actually pay for J even when on a purely short-haul trip. But this thread is in the KL forum.
Bend it like FR.
Last edited by FlyerTalker324193; Oct 25, 2019 at 12:42 am
#25
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Posts: 14,352
A few days ago I noticed for the first time that the the screen at the gate displayed the boarding sequence as a series of vibrantly colored squares, lumping together zones 1 + 2 as the first to board. Didn't help, as one of the first pax in the priorty line was turned back as ineligible, despite his protestations that since he now was where he was, he might as well be allowed to board anyway. Maybe he was colorblind.
Johan
#26
Join Date: Sep 2014
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Posts: 1,007
I'm always impressed with the proactive way DL gate agents handle boarding in the U.S for domestic flights. They are constantly on the loudspeaker making detailed, clear announcements so everyone knows their place.
In Europe things are different, there are more languages to deal with and gate agents in AMS and CDG are definitely too timid. They seem to hide away until boarding begins and make one or two short (inaudible) announcements that people barely listen to. Add to that badly designed boarding gates, poor signage and it's no wonder pax accidently go into the wrong line, which obviously also means longer SP queues.
Perhaps staff need to call boarding depending on certain criteria. E.g. if more than 8 pax in C, call C first, otherwise don't bother with the hassle of shuffling people around.
In Europe things are different, there are more languages to deal with and gate agents in AMS and CDG are definitely too timid. They seem to hide away until boarding begins and make one or two short (inaudible) announcements that people barely listen to. Add to that badly designed boarding gates, poor signage and it's no wonder pax accidently go into the wrong line, which obviously also means longer SP queues.
Perhaps staff need to call boarding depending on certain criteria. E.g. if more than 8 pax in C, call C first, otherwise don't bother with the hassle of shuffling people around.
#28
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Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 569
Perhaps you think the guy who pays more for a ticket should get the best service. That, in itself, is questionable as there are super-important metrics (of retention and engagement, for example) that look well beyond a single ticket.
But even if you considered the price of a single flight/ticket as the only thing that matters (even though that'd be highly questionable), it's not true that J flyers always pay more than Y flyers. Hence, it doesn't follow J flyers should board first.
On many short-haul flights, you're bound to have a number of J pax on feeders to a long-haul J trip which are, relatively speaking, cheapos. There are usually Y pax which pay more for a lesser product. As it is really important for airlines to retain and engage such Y pax, it may be desirable to let those Y pax board in group 1.
Hell, there are even a few airlines which let top-tier elites board prior to business class, regardless of the class of travel those top-tier elites are on.
#29
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Last edited by atflyer; Oct 26, 2019 at 2:17 am
#30
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Posts: 14,352
I just think that it makes no sense to divide pax in boarding zones, assign J class pax a zone of their own (#1), and then lump them together with zone 2 when it actually comes to boarding.
They should make up their minds: either they board zone 1 before zone 2, or they include SP in zone 1.
KL gate agents occasionally realize and acknowledge there's a problem here, e.g. a couple of weeks ago when they invited me to skip the SP line and board first along with those needing assistance.
Johan