KLM and drinks
 

Hi all, curious about your views on KLM's approach to serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks vs other airlines. KLM has been my main airline for the past 3 years (Platinum), though I'm also flying a lot of AF, BA (Gold), as well as EK/QR (no status). Mostly flying business.

Recently, I had two interesting experiences. On a long-haul flight, KLM didn't offer any alcohol aside from the welcome drink (the wine menu was distributed but orders ignored). When I explicitly asked for wine, the crew brought a glass filled to about 20%. My request to top it up was acknowledged but ultimately ignored. I raised the matter with the cabin manager, who said that "many passengers drink too much". I was too taken aback to argue. Meanwhile, on a morning short-haul CH operated flight, the tiny water bottles were not given to passengers, who also asked for a coffee. When I asked to have water in addition to my coffee, the crew made a face and had a demonstrative think before generously handing me the bottle.

Up until then, I already considered KLM's premium soft product to be the weakest in the skies if you like to drink, be it wine or soft drinks. Drinks are never topped up, the Crown lounges actively discourage drinking (bar dragons in non-Shenghen, and an unpleasant, zoo-like self-service corner setting in Sheghen), requests for another round are often met with attitude or patronising remarks ("another one?"). However, things seem to be deteriorating further.

Do you share these experiences? If so, why do you think is KLM rationing drinks? I understand that the Dutch aren't known for service/hospitality, however 1) KLM is a truly international airline serving international customers, and 2) champagne continues to flow abundantly on AF.

When it comes to long-haul Y and PE, I see no difference between KLM and other Western airlines. This is specific to C. Is this all a cost-saving exercise or has the crew actually managed to convince management to give them full discretion on this matter?

I can't say I've experienced anything of that nature on board myself.

I do dislike that the non-Schengen lounge has a staffed bar, however. And I strongly dislike that KL serves Codorniu cava (which btw is sold at the local Albert Heijn) in short-haul C where AF somehow does manage to serve real Champagne. It's not as if KL's product is priced better for it.

KLM does not serve any liquor in long-haul Y (not even a digestif), and if you push, the FA's would even try to persuade you that this was never the case (there was a small discussion here). By contrast, both AF and DL serve liquor on long-haul. AFAIK, all three serve some wine and beer on long-haul, though I've never tried it on any of them.

My last long-haul economy flight with KL (which was admittedly pre-covid, since then it's been C or W) the stewardess *suggested* a glass of Baileys to me. Which was actually exactly what I was thinking of asking for so it was like she read my mind.

And I remember a flight to Muscat (I think it was 2015), when the FA asked if we wanted a cognac after dinner.

I have the experience the other way around. Apart from the shortest flights (say AMS-BRU) KLM usually serves beer and wine in Y. With AF however I noted they dropped the wine on several flights (AMS-CDG fi). I can't believe KLM dropped alcohol in J. You must have faced a bad crew/day with catering problems or so. If the latter, of course crew best had explained.

It sounds like maybe this was the specific crew or route that caused their reluctance.
Was this a flight to a big party destination?

I've been on flights where a significant part of the passengers are (still?) drunk and it really is no fun for the other passengers or the crew

I just wish KLM would offer an alternative beer to Heineken...
Surely there are other NL "craft" breweries that KLM could offer on their World Business flights?

Does Amsterdam count?

:D

Pretty sure that Uiltje at least has the capacity to cater KLM J with a basic pale ale or similar. Sad that it doesn't happen.

But, even if it has the brewing capacity, it surely doesn't have the deep (marketing) pockets that Heineken has - nor do many other Dutch breweries for that matter.

True, but if AF can afford not to serve crap wine from the highest bidder, then surely KLM can do the same with beer. It's all about priorities.

They could at least serve one of the many craft beer brands that fall under the Heineken portfolio of brands surely?
e.g. Affligem, Texels, Lagunitas, Oedipus, amongst others...

This has been discussed in the past. Heineken being Heineken, I'm sure if it's not free, then KLM pays cents per can.

Still, at least in the front - certainly they could work with Heineken to offer at least Brand if nothing else. Brands like Lagunitas would definitely fit, also with competition like BA with their Brewdog specials etc.

Last year, that change in the non-Schengen lounge where you can't pour your own drink anymore infuriated me when take-off of my longhaul flight was delayed by 3 hours to midnight, and the bar was closing shop at 22:00.... I was just in time to make them pour me 3 glasses of wine to keep me going until boarding :D

Self-service wine is (was?) available in the corner under the stairs, next to the working booths. To the right of the entrance.

Not that night unfortunately 😕

I once received a Platinum greeting whilst travelling in long-haul Y and took this opportunity to ask for a gin & tonic to which I was told that this was only available for business passengers. That was the interaction that made me stop chase Platinum :D

Interesting, never seen this before. Will check it out next time.

Good guess

Well, it's almost 50/50 odds if you're flying KLM - right?

:D :D :D

I can’t say I’ve ever come across such outright stinginess on KLM before, but I was on a KLC flight last summer in which further Cava was refused for an altogether different reason - namely that the single small bottle I had already consumed constituted the aircraft’s entire supply*…

(*Inbound to AMS from BOD, so can’t say how many bottles were actually loaded at Schiphol before the outbound).

I've certainly had it on multiple airlines that this or that ran out. Not particularly unusual.

is Singapore the only place in the world that has direct KLM flights to two party destinations....?

It’s the only time it has every happened to me. I mustn’t be drinking enough :D

still beats the warm bottle of cava I got last week on an ex-VLC flight to AMS. Aircraft was there overnight and I assume it was loaded in AMS, therefore warm in the morning.

very preposterous of me to ask for cava at 7am, I guess.

No, KL also flies a number of triangle routes (like such as AMS-JRO-DAR-AMS).

Though I believe it is the only place that they sell tickets for separately (i.e. you can fly just SIN-DPS or v.v.)

On SIN-AMS denied a second glass of wine (and didn't have any other beverages), nor anything else alcoholic before the flight.
Extremely stingy.

Please folks, I allready have too many reasons to stop flying KL.

No need to add yet another one 😂

But yes, I asked for a second Heineken on my last short haul Y and I was laughed at.

Amarula Cream
 

As recently as last summer KL was still offering Amarula Cream as a digestive - always makes me smile that that was their drink of choice. My Sister flew them from Mex to Ams last night, no sign of it....

Are you sure it was still around last summer? That was my favourite from the menu but was replaced by the mundane Baileys since I think ca 2019.

I only fly between AMS and BKK with KLM in Y at a regular basis but i don't have that experience.
Never had any issues with requesting multiple wines or beers during the flight. :-)
But it's a shame that they don't serve spirits.

in PE or Y, I can understand if cabin crew... feel less obligated to serve more drinks because they have more passengers to keep track of and perhaps, are afraid they will run out of drinks altogether. But in J/C, the passenger (unless they are non-rev or op-up) paid more for extra service, and possibly more drinks. Totally understandable if a FA needed to cut off a pax who was clearly drunk, but I don't think that's what we're talking about in this thread. It's happened to me once where a FA told me "the bar is closed." I was flying AMS-BKK, and it caught me off guard because they were giving a lot of refills before we even departed. I don't think I saw any passengers rowdy per se, but the passengers sitting up front seemed like they could realllllly drink. Having mostly experienced flying on UA and other U.S. airlines, I knew better than to argue with cabin crew so I just smiled and went back to my seat. But that experience really stuck with me. What is the point of paying more for business class if you're going to get poor service? I also asked the FA if there was anything to eat and was denied. Though, I guess that could be a bit more complicated because they might just not have the space for mid-flight snacks in the galley, but it seems a little s****y to leave a business class pax both thirsty and hungry. I was convinced certain FAs were more careful about serving alcohol on certain routes. Apparently, VS FAs are much more scrutinizing on flights to/from MCO and LAS as they often encounter unruly pax on those routes. I can see how, from the vibes of the pax on my flight to BKK why FAs would be more guarded. It haven't experienced anything like that on my other KL flights (KUL, SIN, DPS, LAX, YVR, YUL, YYZ, JFK, CPT, NRT, MEX), but I also don't know for sure if the route in particular is what is driving FAs to limit drinks. Last year, when I was flying SIN-AMS, a FA seemed so impressed with how much champagne I could drink, he eventually just gave me the entire bottle! I much prefer AF since they let you pour your own drinks on the plane and in the lounge.

I fly in longhaul business class mainly for the lay flat bed and bigger space.
As far as service is concerned, my advice is to not expect much when you fly U.S. or European based airlines.

The cans of Heineken served on KLM flights are not the same as the cans of beer you might buy in the supermarket.
They are reduced in capacity, much thinner cylinders which contain only a couple of gulps of beer.
Of course, no alternative beers are available...

same with coke.

The funny thing is that the wine glasses on long Haul J are so small and less than a standard bar pour. I’ve never had a problem with refills in J, but you do have to ask. The problem is on the second meal when they can’t wait to close the bar probably because they want to keep the leftover wine and make crew juice ;)

in short haul Y, I thought KL did a full service beverage of wine, beer or soft drinks. What’s the cut off length for that? Just flew FRA-AMS, and it was just water and not even a napkin. Is it based on mileage? If KL cuts that perk, they will be no different than Transavia in Y.

I think with KL in J it really depends on the crew when they're bored and/or your interaction with them. I had a relatively short hop to DUB the other day where the crew insisted on giving me more beer the entire way. It was hard to refuse, but I managed. HAM-AMS I also usually have a very happy crew, even turbulence and hitting TOD is usually not a hard marker for them to stop.

In Y, luck may vary and may much more depend on your status. As platinum and ultimate both I've always had very good interactions with the crew. But I do tend to sit towards the front / near J, where maybe you're more in view. I doubt you'll get the same service if you're in the exit row hidden between the masses.

On what flights does KL not serve wine/beer in economy? Flights under one hour? or is it based on distance?

the last few times I’ve flown LCY-AMS, it’s just been mini bottles of water.