HadesNL

in english:
KLM Crown Lounge Schengen
- larger new space
- refurbished existing space
- different focus: quick & fast coffee and snacks (schengen lounge) versus transit passengers requiring sleep, shower and dining (existing non schengen lounge)
- lounge will stay open during phased construction and expansion

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in Dutch:
SCHIPHOL - Na de non-Schengenlounge neemt KLM ook de Europese Crown Lounge stevig onder handen. De wachtruimte wordt niet alleen grondig vernieuwd, maar is straks ook flink groter. Daardoor moet er meer ruimte worden geschapen voor het groeiende aantal gebruikers.


KLM heropende onlangs al op feestelijke wijze de Crown Lounge in het non-Schengengebied. Daar is nu plaats voor ruim 1.200 reizigers, bijna een verdubbeling ten opzichte van de vorige lounge.

Waar die lounge ingesteld is op overstappers die bijvoorbeeld uitgebreid willen dineren, douchen of een dutje doen, daar verwelkomt de Schengen-lounge een heel ander publiek. “Daar komen reizigers die in een half uur tijd een kopje koffie en een broodje willen, voordat ze aan boord stappen”, zegt Eelco van Asch, Senior Vice President Ground Services bij KLM tegen Luchtvaartnieuws Magazine.

Vooral tijdens de piekuren kan het nogal druk worden in de lounge, vandaar dat een uitbreiding noodzakelijk is. Van Asch benadrukt dat de lounge in fases wordt aangepakt, waardoor reizigers er tijdens de werkzaamheden gewoon terecht kunnen.
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Source:
https://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/nieu...e-onder-handen

Let us hope the second house of crown won't have any silly nonsense paid options !

johan rebel

I guess that means they will take the opportunity to abolish anything the even resembles proper food.

Johan

af fp

So if I landed on a long-haul and am waiting for my short-haul Schengen flight, I have to stay in the non-Shengen side if I want to shower and rest, and cross security at the last minute?

Thysk

"We've listened to your feedback and will be reducing "improving" our service/lounge-product to a simplified/bare-bones version of Starbucks"

"People were complaining about the long wait time and lack of showers and comfy chairs, so we removed all of them 'For your convenience'/'For a more/better standardized product'"

Romanianflyer

That press release sounds like they are about to f*ck up another lounge - bigly.

Whether it is the use of the word "wachtruimte" instead of lounge (Dutch for "waiting room" - like you are visiting the dentist) or KLM talking how passengers just want a quick coffee or snack. It basically sounds like a glorified train station kiosk. No wonder KLM management wants to chase people out of short-haul flights and into trains!

The part where they say that the non-Schengen lounge has a different public (mainly those on connecting flights, in the words of KLM) is also puzzling. Since when do passengers not connect inside the Schengen area anymore? They really have no clue at all what they are doing.

pjhartog

That sounds like they will basically remove all other drinks/wine/beer plus warm food from this 'waiting area'...

I suspect they cooperate with Schiphol in this. Schiphol reduced the service for non-Privium pax and KLM helps to push everyone over to the Privium lounges..

nldogbert

This is my interpretation of that message I read.... i hope that this will be totally wrong and they will keep it as much as what is available as of now.

Cheers!

Fabo.sk

If that should be the case, I'd be... accepting... of that, but then they should really get going on Privium Airside Schengen lounge now

psollitt

So the new A pier/terminal lounge will be a glorified starbucks as well ? ... looking at this press release , Source - https://www.schiphol.nl/en/projects/...iew-kees-kaan/ talking about the new being in the DNA of schiphol .. hmm have heard that before recently with a british airline ... regarding cost cutting ...

johan rebel

Or a diluted one? (Not sure that's even possible, but if anybody can do it, it will be KL)

Johan

Mozart0815

Ok so now they‘ve really managed to put KLM on my personal “no-fly list”. I may be overreacting but I don’t see that KLM is doing anything to attract international business class travelers any more. It sounds like they just stick to catering for the locals who just pick KLM out of habit or convenience vs having to offer a true premium service.

But thanks god they still hand out silly tiny houses every time. That’s what customers really value!

caliform

What's better about the competition? That's not being simple, I just honestly don't see anything in European business class being good today.

Mozart0815

I agree that European companies aren’t really known for an outstanding product. That’s why going to Asis I ended up on QR quite a bit (that said, Al Mourjan is overrated), or CX before Hong-Kong became an issue.

But even within Europe, I’d rather take AF (better food & lounge), or LX (single seats and quite nice E lounge), and while I haven’t tried the new BA J product yet, it looks quite interesting, and the lounge in LHR (especially being EC Gold) is better than „The Crown“ ever will be.

mfkne

Everyone has different priorities - for flights within Europe (and beyond, actually) the lounge is probably the lowest priority for me. Operational reliability on the other hand and safety are much, much higher on the list, and KLM excels in both categories, much more so than strike-ridden AF.

johan rebel

TK is the exception here.

Johan