KLM B747 with PTV ?
 

On KLM website there is inmfo that this summer all B747 will be equipped in personal TVs in ecnonomy - anybody can confirm that ?

thanks :):)

I can only confirm that this is on the KLM website ;)

But AFAIK they only start with the changes this summer so it will take a while before all 747-s are changed.

i am due to take a 744 Combi to MEX the 9th July?
Any idea if this route will be a prority one or should i take a good book ?
Thanks

bebert, I wouldn't get my hopes up. :) If they start this summer, and they haven't said exactly when, end of August is also summer and that's just when they start. Do they say when they expect to finish? The KL fleet is usually stretched pretty thin (especially during the summer) in the schedule, so they will likely do one plane at a time. They don't deploy the same bird for only one flight; they are rather rotated. So it's not about the route being prioritized, it's about whether the actual plane used for that route in that particular day has already been equipped with PTVs in Y. IMO your chances are slim.

ha ha the PTV will worth more than the planes

Although given the current state of the airline business they have a lot more spare capacity than usual. Hence all the pilots we can look forward to speeding us through the priority boarding lane at the gates soon!

Johan

I flew on PH-BFN yesterday, which is the first one to have the Y class retrofit. The screens are large like on the 777-300, and the system seemed to work well.

Thanks for the informative post, jb2008! That's good news!

just to confirm that the 744 combi operating AMS-MEX the 9 th july was NOT having PTV
Actually it was weird to be back in a plane without PTV after so many long hauls on B777 and others
I went back with a 772 on AF, and honestly the whole product in Y is slightly better IMHO with AF : PTV, ameny kits, in AF , and food on par
A KL long haul was a first for me in Y: not too bad but average. Friendly FA but definitely sexier on AF ( there was a so cute asiatic FA yesterday!! she was gorgeous :-) )

That's a bit off topic. We were talking about in flight ENTERTAINMENT;), but I'm pretty sure the thread focused on PTVs. :D

First B747 with PTV in service!
 

In today's news it was announced that the first of 22 B747 with PTV was taken into service last weekend. Passengers in economy class have more space due to the new Recaro chairs.
KLM is slowly adjusting its economy class product of their long-houl fleet to the same level as B777, MD11 and A330.
The second B747 with PTV is planned to be taken into service in December 2009.

Full article (in Dutch language) below.

AMSTELVEEN - KLM heeft de eerste van zijn 22 Boeing 747-400’s voorzien van nieuwe stoelen in de economy class en een nieuw inflight entertainment systeem. Afgelopen weekend is het vliegtuig in gebruik genomen, zo meldt de luchtvaartmaatschappij. Passagiers in de goedkoopste vervoersklasse hebben dankzij de nieuwe Recaro-stoelen meer beenruimte in de Boeing 747.
KLM brengt hiermee het economy class-product geleidelijk op hetzelfde niveau als in de Boeing 777, MD-11 en Airbus A330-200. Deze vliegtuigen zijn al langer voorzien van de nieuwe stoelen en het personal entertainmentsysteem. Turen naar een beeldscherm aan het plafond om een film te kunnen volgen behoort hiermee tot het verleden.

Voorlopig vliegt slechts één Boeing 747 rond met het nieuwe interieur. Pas in december van dit jaar wordt een tweede toestel met de nieuwe stoelen en inflight entertainment systeem opgeleverd.

More legroom at the expense of thinner seat cushions and thus comfort, no doubt.

Johan

They have actually removed 8 seats in Y-class from the 744's (all-passenger versions).
1x4 seater and 1x2 seater on either seats.
Making a total of 378 in Y (was 386 before).

I like the Recaro seats better.

Sounds great, but that won't increase legroom in the Select Seating section (which is supposed to be reserved for KL's most valued elite and full fare pax, remember?) by one millimeter.

Johan