irishguy28

So it sounds like your Delta number is correctly in the reservation, but the KLM website isn't correctly recognising your status.

There's an issue with KLM that, if your Flying Blue status changes after the time the booking was made, the system doesn't see that the status has changed, and the workaround is to have the FFP number deleted, and then re-entered. So it sounds like this may also be an issue with Delta Skymiles status, too.

Re-entering your number is something that has to be done by an agent, to the best of my knowledge - I don't know a way of doing this online, sorry.

Perhaps you should ring KLM again (calls to KLM in North America will actually get you through to Delta, who handle KLM in NA). But rather than ringing web support, ring the regular reservation/enquiries number. They should be able to sell you the EC seat at the proper price, and re-enter your FFP number (if necessary).

EUCommuter

This is an old problem, which I have complained to KLM about several times without much luck.

The history is this(all my trips were KLM flight bookings, not codeshare):

1) Before April 22, 2012 the Skyteam level status was recognized and printed properly on the web generated boarding passes.

2) Between April 22 2012 and May 9, 2012 KLM/AF must have made a change to their backend booking system which caused the frontend web system to not recognize the level status on the return part of the booking, resulting in the infamous Skyp moniker to be printed on the boarding pass next to the Freq. Flyer number instead of the proper Level status. There was no problem with the outbound part of the booking, everything was recognized correctly.

3) Between May 9. 2012 and June 18, 2012 KLM/AF tinkered some more with the backend system, and then the problem went from bad to worse. Now the boarding pass for the return part of the flight had only the Freq. Flyer number and nothing else, even the Sky Priority logo was gone. As before everything was fine for the outbound boarding pass.

4) Between June 18, 2012 and July 6, 2012 panic must have set in at KLM/AF and they apparently rolled back the latest change and the situation ever since has been that everything is recognized correctly on the outbound flight boarding pass, but the return boarding pass still shows only the Skyp moniker.

5) The problem in the KLM/AF system means that on outbound flights the web checkin offers me the discounted rates for EC/ER seating but on the return flight I can forget about that.

This issue is not related to the KLM frontend (web interface), because the problem persists also when checking in through the Air France website, so it must be related to the common parts of their backend system

So there you have it. To KLM/AF - if you read this, go fix your system since I have done all the error investigation for you.

Travelomania

Even without the metal change - as you refer to - this happens frequently.
Of the approx 75k miles on KL metal I flew in the past 12 months it happened on almost every flight.

I logged many complaints - even in person to the higher AF echelon when I had a chance and was asked for my opinion of their (AF/KL) service.
It was explained to me to be a glitch in their system.

It also is helpful to send a tweet to KLM.us or KLM.nl - they tend to be efficient and reasonably quick.

FlyingBear

Just an update. I tried having them re-enter my DL SM#, but still no change in the system. I'm AF on the outbound and KLM on the return, so it sounds like the problem EU Commuter describes. Oh well, some seats opened up just behind the exit rows which gets me father up the plane. Also sounds like the connection in AMS should be easily done in an hour, so I'm ditching buying up to EC.

MasterGeek

nevermind

MasterGeek

I found a trick/bug in KLM's website and mobile app that allows assigning Economy Comfort seats without elite status or paying the EC extra fee. I may disclose more details if my tricked free EC seat selection sticks all the way to boarding for my next KLM flight

irishguy28

I haven't noticed this sort of "offer" before...as part of their "Five Days of Offers", they are also offering a discount on the Economy Comfort seating fee to selected destinations.

KL714

Interesting to see that even though it's the same flight, EC to Dar es Salaam costs less than Kilimanjaro..

irishguy28

That must be a typo. They surely would not list Kilimanjaro if they were not offering a discount

johan rebel

Cabin crew have complained that changing the headrest covers when moving the cabin divider between flights is too onerous a task, so from April 1st all covers will be the same color, cabin union UNC reports.

Good idea! Let's make those pax who inexplicably have decided to pay for EC feel even less extra special, and confuse everybody else.

Johan

Carel1

Will the cabin divider now be placed between Economy and Economy Confort? That's how I read in the article.

ajs123

The way how I read this announcement is that both C and EC will have the same color while Y a different one. Hence the hard working FAs will just need to move the curtain.

johan rebel

Yes, indeed. And pax are supposed to be aware of what the various colors mean?

How much time does it really take to swap perhaps a dozen headrest covers between flights? Union complaints don't get much more bolshie than this one.

Johan

MasterGeek

Here is the trick that I discovered and used back in November to get free EC seats without frequent flyer status:

When you go to manage your booking and select an EC seat and don't pay (close the browser tab/window when forwarded to the payment page), the seat is still assigned to you but the system will revert you to the previous seat after an hour or so

However, it seems that the system can only remember the previous seat assignement and not the original seat assignement. So, if you repeat the process and select a different EC seat before the revert happens (about 1 hour), you will then be actually reverted and assigned the the first selected EC seat instead of the original ordinary E- seat

When I did this trick, the EC seat remained confirmed and I was not required to pay the fee during check-in or boarding.

This works via KLM's website or mobile app

MasterGeek

Has anyone been able to try the above trick ? I'm curious whether it sill works