KLM, Cityhopper or Eastern Airways
 

I'm looking at flights from UK to AMS and there appear to be 3 different offerings (KLM, KLM Cityhopper, Eastern Airways). Are they all effectively the same, or is there a significant difference?

Last month a I flewn a bunch of Eastern Airways flights between SOU and AMS (lost count how many times I had the same crew), who were wet-leased on behalf of KLM Cityhopper up to the end in the winter timetable. It's really no different to KLM Cityhopper as overall there's not much service etc. you can have on such a short flight in a tiny Embraer (flew both the E190 and E170). In economy class you get a packet of cracker/bruchetta type things (nicer than the awful KL biscuit thing) and a water, but in Business class it's the KLM cold food wandersbox. Otherwise, you'll only see the KLM branding on the meal cart and it's mentioned during the crew chat.

FB XP and Miles post exactly the same is with KLM Cityhopper. So go in with the usual low expectations and you'll not know the difference - it's just a local bus ride.

I have the choice of Cityhopper from Exeter, or Eastern from Bristol. So I guess it's just chose the fare and flight times that suit the best

Yep, that is the best approach.

Just remembered one minor possible advantage with Eastern Airways from all the flights I took, they always parked at the same group of odd numbered D gates(D25-D31) . But the KLM Cityhopper flights always go from the D6 holding area and bus out to the Embraer parking lot. So if you don't like AMS buses then take Eastern Airways.

On Pilot Prune forums, Eastern do come a lot as being unreliable.

In my experience, the Eastern operated flights can go from D6 and the Fokker Farm, but are certainly more likely to park up at the far end of the D pier.

For reliability, EXT is 1x daily, BRS is 4x daily. So plenty more options from BRS when things go wrong. I would say it is probable that the risk of cancellation is slightly higher on Eastern compared to cityhopper, but don't think it's really enough of a difference to be a problem. I have flown dozens of times BRS<->AMS since the start of this wetlease and didn't have a cancellation yet.

Main difference between KLC and Eastern is, Eastern does not have Economy Comfort.

I did experience some very heavy delays with them over a short period of time, out of BRS, a few months back. Situation seems to have improved since. I have had German Airways outright cancellations when their aircraft have gone tech on that route though...
All my Eastern Flights have used an airbridge at the far end of the D pier. Further to walk, but definitely prefer it over being bussed from D6!

Yet to take my first Exeter flight but all future bookings will be out of there for me, given how close I live to EXT (unless the awkward timing of the 1x rotation would require an overnight in AMS). There does seem to be a bit of a price premium over BRS, but convenience and savings on ground transport / parking make it worthwhile for me. Hope the route does well.

The main drawback for the EXT flight is that it doesn't arrive into AMS until about 8pm, so by the time you get to your city centre hotel and unpack It's going to be quite late. With BRS there is an arrival at about 4pm which is ideal.

But then it also means leaving at 2pm which means your whole travel day is toast. Exeter flight leaves after 5pm, so you can do a full work day before leaving for the airport, if you start early enough.

I'm retired

Most pax aren't