I have edited the initial post to reflect new erosion...and perhaps 1 improvement...as usual...one step forward, three steps back.
Unless I am overlooking something? Thanks for considering new additions/modifications in case this topic interests you.

As I mentioned in my post on the new booking engine, one of the improvements seems to be it's easier now to get the Take-off fare-semiflex, which is the cheapest 100% miles tickets and very close to the very cheapest 25% tickets. You can directly choose to go from 25% to 100% Take off fare. This is actually a big improvement, and for me that just flyes economy on my own dime is really good.

I might add that the reason I fly KLM and has been for the last 8 years or so, is because compared to SAS and BA you get easier status and better milage payment at least until they unleashed the 25% miles. This seems to be better now with what I mentioned above. Generally the service is decent to good in economy and Schipol is a good hub compared to the other options. But the result of this might be that we will save up miles for a business award and then do it on another airline within ST (which of course is very good for KLM :) The calling a running cost for the airline a "tax" on the other should be illegal if it isn't already, so I completely agree on the fuel surcharge issue.

Cobos

Its still only a test site. However, it is certainly a positive point that can be added in case it becomes official.

A good time to revive this thread? I split this into pre April fools, April fools and post April fools eras.

For the few who don't know: Aprils fools is the nickname used for the generally negatively received Flying Blue program changes on 1-4-2009

See the first post for details. Lets make this accurate and up to data again! :cool:

Good idea. Will kick off.

+ As a Plat I can book emergency rows in Y and it appears that KL are now more consistent: on my last 4 flights I had the entire row to myself in an (almost) full Y section.

+ Priority boarding lanes at AMS. At least on the C gates this is a good benefit. On the D/E/F gates it is no use except the few occasions where the actual priority boarding rather than the boarding pass check is also enforced.

+ Priority passport/security lanes departing at AMS and the Elite/shocon Schengen-nonSchengen transfer lines.

- Inability to even assign aisle/window as per profile. I am about to change my profile to 'window' because I always get assigned a window seat with 'aisle' in my profile.

- Location of the new non-Schengen lounge at AMS. Way too far for D gates departures. I want the old RW lounge back!

+/- The new B gates for KLC. No basement dungeon bus gates anymore but a very very long walk instead. Especially compared to bus arrivals that now arrive at the terminal.

- Outrageous one-way fares.

Quality post. ^

Speaking of the old Royal Wing lounges..., I also want the greenish puff pastries back

I loved the green goo pasties.. and the little sausages , cup'o' soups, the packets of smoked almonds and the chocomel :(

- KLM's "own" branded snack service on short haul. It cracks me up when I get a pack with too tiny chocolatecrisp cookies, which are branded as "delicious". I really liked the Tuc and Prince Chocostar more!!!
- Again raised prices for the minimal extra comfort of EC.
- Maybe it's just me, but when you now book, you actually choose in- and outbound flights seperately. Earlier you had to choose fixed combo's, when I now choose an inbound flight X, outbound flight Y fades out because "it doesn't fit with my price category of the inbound flt".
- Also outrageous one way fares (sometimes also crazy RT's)
-/+ All kinds of new paid "amenities" such as EC and A la carte, it is good when you want to have something extra in Y but just hope we don't really have to pay for frills on short haul flights soon!

Saved me already some money.

Inbound: mother's birthday is fixed; don't need a flexible ticket
Outbound: you'll never know how long you can bear the family; needs a flexible ticket .-)

Yeah, in those cases ;) :p