FlyerTalker324193

What problem, I don't see it.

ATM, boarding zones are mostly about catering to people's egos (or making money from them).

johan rebel

Great, then by all means feel free to join then end of the longest boarding line you can find, and enjoy your time there.

And to those who prefer wasting as little time as possible waiting in line. I suspect there may be quite a few of those.

If it weren't for the fact that most other pax insist on dragging steamer trunks and kitchen sinks on board, and then shoving them in the J class overhead bins if they get half a chance, I would much prefer to board last. On hot days I usually do anyway, because KL don't rarely run airco on the ground. My bag then goes under the middle seat, if necessary.

Bottom line: KL offers (what passes for) a business class. It is their premium product, which ought to entitle those who fly it to premium service, priority boarding included. Regardless of who paid what, and how much.

Johan

FlyerTalker324193

LOL, I thought so. Somebody with a sense of entitlement. I'm outta here.

Mozart0815

I’m not sure I‘d call this entitlement.

You pay a premium, you expect better service. That’s the entire point.

What else would justify the premium price? Clearly it can’t be the KLM food experience.

All of us on this forum clearly spend too much time in airports vs. more enjoyable experiences, so at least you want to make it as little annoying as possible.

NickB

But why should airline care one jot about loyalty per se? Should the airline care more about the loyal passenger that does 50 flights a year all on the cheapest of the cheap ticket with a net revenue for the airline of €5 per ticket versus the thoroughly disloyal passenger who merely does 2 flights with the airline, albeit with a net revenue of €300 per flight?

There is in any event imo something rather surreal in this discussion. Let us not forget what these perks are and where they come from: these are perks which have always been sold in Europe as part of the business class product. What has happened with frequent flyers programmes is that some of the benefits of that business class product have been extended to the top tiers of the FF programme. But it remains the case that these are first and foremost amenities that come with the business class product. Giving priority to frequent flyers over business class passengers in relation to these feels to me like the tail wagging the dog.

harpu4

Business class isn't entitled to better service? Isn't that the whole point of it?

DId I step into the twilight zone? I'm laughing my ... off over here...thanks for the entertainment!



Exactly.

Brendan88

Do all loyal passengers buy cheap tickets? I am an economy flyer and I earn my platinum status flying almost only economy and doing at least 2 long haul round trips a month. I do not fly much within Europe. This trips are 90% of the time booked within 72hours before departure. So I do not buy discounted fares.

But from my point of view, I dont mind if the business passengers board earlier. I know they are paying more for this specific flight than I am and there are Plats between them so I see them as a ‘level’ above me. It is also just a few people. Only reason why I want to board early is to have my carry-on in the bins and that does not change a thing if the other cabin boards before me.

On most of my long haul flight outstations, they do work with the zone system. But most outstations have more space in the airport to allow for multiple lines. Schiphol does not have the space in my opinion.

johan rebel

To join the end of a very long queue somewhere, no doubt

Have fun!

Johan

NickB

Did I say that anywhere in my post? What I said is that loyalty per se is not in itself a good guide of the value of the passenger to the airline. One cannot assume, as the post I responded to seemed to do, that a silver member of the FFP is necessarily at least as valuable to the airline than an occasional frequent business class flyer.

Fabo.sk

That is the problem with the current Flying Blue system. I wonder if/when they are going to change it...

To take a look at me:

When I buy cheap flights, I buy cheap flights. I tend to aim at 100 EUR r/t. Personal flights, advance notice.
When I buy expensive flights, I buy expensive flights. The last one I looked at was like 980 EUR. For a 40 minute flight...

Yet, the amount of status points earned is the same...

It's fun to see how different airlines look at this. Some clearly prefer status, some clearly prefer travel class.. some do a bit of both.

johan rebel

And JNB, where in the PA announcements they clearly say that Zone 1 is Business Class only.

Johan

irishguy28

But not in Europe, right?

which is the context of the original complaint.

It makes sense to do this for long haul - there are generally many more J pax, and long haul is generally more of an event!
Now, while on some short routes indeed there will be a lot of J passengers, it just doesn't seem worthwhile calling Zone 1 for 3 customers, and holding all the Zone 2/SkyPriority customers back.

johan rebel

Very rarely, I gave a few examples up-thread.

If there are only very few J pax, they can be called to the podium and boarded first without inconveniencing the other SkyPriority pax lined up at the gate.

Johan

johan rebel

A colleague (Silver / Petroleum) and several other pax in the SkyPriority line were initially refused boarding at AAL this morning. The scanner bleeped and flashed red when the pax who were first in line tried to board. The gate agent then announced that KLM had now switched to boarding by zone, and that they would have to wait until Zone 1 (Business Class) had boarded.

Johan