COFF-Platinum

Please don't come back. I really like being the only Plat on a flight and have flown more KLM this year than ever.

texas gold

Why on Earth would I come back?

KLM is once again marketing the added value of comfort without providing any real comfort at all.

So what do I get? Let's see: I want to go to IAH from AMS in Y.

On the website the fee in Feb 2010 is around 500 euro.
I earn only 25% FB Miles.
I pay another 50 euro's and get 50% Miles
I pay another 370 euro's and get 75% and if I pay 2,478 euro's they will give me the pleasure of earning 100% miles.

So then I want to sit in their "comfort" section. If I pay the 2,478 for a Y ticket I can sit in the comfort section for free, But if I'm traveling on a ticket with more restrictions I have to pay around 300 euro's extra.

Being Gold would save me 1/2.

So I can pay upwards of 300 euro's extra for an extra inch or four, and more recline (and the chance that KLM has not changed the monitors in the seatbacks, making them unviewable) and still earn no extra miles!

Or.....I can take that 300 euros and put it towards a second Y ticket on CO (same dates = 400 euros) where I'll earn 100% miles, and get an extra inch of pitch.

KLM has done a great job in keeping me away.

jvangilst

I read that the first Aircraft have already been converted, does anyone have a list of when each aircraft will be converted?

I'll be fying from Ams to JFk on the 26th of november on of their 772's and I'am currently in seat 10H. 11G is the only other seat taken in the premium seating area., And i don't want to take seat 11C because of the Lav in front.

I'am not absolutely sure about row 10 because you can't put your feet under the bulkhead infront. Will row 10 also get 4 extra inches when the seats are re-arranged? If not, any other seat in the prmium seating area might be a better choice.

Klm is Dead - Long Live KLM

Why is your spouse not Elite? It just costs 90 euros per year for your AMEX card that extends your elite status to her and if you want one of your other family members...

Brobbel

And for another 50 euro even another family member can join.

Only applicable for the Dutch FB Amex card BTW, but since MichielR is Dutch it's available for him.

Klm is Dead - Long Live KLM

Up to 10 centimeters extra legroom could also mean 0 or 1 extra centimeter I suppose...

It is good that they have listened and are adding benefits for Platinum. Just too bad there are few still interested in the program or flying them anymore.

MichielR

It seems that KL's introduction of Premium Economy would be the reason to spend 90 euro on a credit card...

Until now, I have a credit card linked to my bank account, for just a few euro per year. Until now, with my PE status my spouse could join me in the select seating area. Until now, I could bring my spouse and kids in to the lounge when we travelled as a family (yes, not according to the rules but we were always let in).

My point was that now I would have to get the Amex card (or two or three) to get these perks. Or pay 35 euro for lounge access for the kids. Well, at least the Amex is cheaper than 3 x 35 euro for lounge access or 150 euro for Premium Economy...

johan rebel

Try telling that to KL Senior VP Bram Graber, quoted in October issue of Zakenreis:

"Dan gaat het niet om een kleine bijstelling, zoals een tandje extra bijzetten op het gebied van catering. Wij hebben gekozen voor een wezenlijke aanpassing ten aanzien van beenruimte en comfort."

"We are not talking about minor changes such as spiffing up catering. We have opted for substantial adjustments in the areas of legroom and comfort."

Doh???

Johan

johan rebel

Having read the rest of the article, I can now add that according to Graber the new product is specifically aimed at corporate clients who have downgraded from C to Y. It is now up to them to play ball, Graber says.

The travel managers of two large Dutch companies interviewed in the same article expressed their doubts about the new product. A major objection was that Comfort Economy does not book into its own fare bucket, and can therefore not (yet) be reserved through regular GRS reservation systems. This increases the administrative burden, and makes it harder to stick to the company travel policy in employees "upgrade" at check-in and claim expenses afterwards. In one of the companies the travel policy was so restrictive that CE upgrades would require management approval.

Johan

jetfan

I hear about 10 747's have been modified already and about 5 MD 11's ((will try to get the registrations from a friend at KL).
On the 747 row 18 on the zone between door 1L and 2L has been removed.
Has anyone noticed any difference?

Many corporate fare deals are heavily discounted and book into S and B class anyway so I am assuming there is no charge involved?
Luckily at my company we book in Business cabin for flights longer than 7 hours (used to be 5 hours, they recently adjusted it ) but I've seen only S and B booking classes for those times that I flew in Y.
The only gripe is that my company books "last minute" and then it's not sure if there are still seats left.

Still I think it's a good deal that Plat's get it for free, better than nothing although I can relate to the "travel companion" issue mentioned by other posters.

johan rebel

Wasn't that the extra row they added just a few years ago? I can't imagine that its removal will make a difference worth 150 Euros to the individual pax.

Johan

jetfan

They only added it on the two-seater side and removed that closet at the front row, remember?
On the 3-seater side row 18 was always there (except those days when this zone was still J-class............... seems like ages ago!)

0059099

Is it known yet, when planes would be converted? I'm on row 17 on a 777 on 27 november (AMS-NYC). For me it's not possible to select any rows before 17. As I understood that option becomes available 24 hours before departure?

Would like to know if comfort zone is also available then, or which seat I have to chose to get lucky...

Forgot to add:

- Service level will be the same between economy and economy comfort (only difference is the seat and legroom)
- Customer care told me, the final decision on the seat isn't take yet, it could be a hard-shell type, like the AF ones. End on november they will have real photos
- Pricing is fixed like their normal preferred seating priceline, flights shorter then 9 hours € 80, longer then 9 hours € 150.

Klm is Dead - Long Live KLM

Well, also don't forget that they will also be on the PLT lists for op ups improving your chances as a family and they will earn the platinum bonus for mileage accumulation and if DL ever re-instates the FC upgrades, they will also be eligible for FC upgrades when flying in the US. Big downside is that if they would have flown enough to qualify for PLT anyway, that they are not earning their own status and will not qualify for LTPE themselves.

ajamieson

I completely agree. I thought this sounded like a great idea until I read the awful phrase "double the recline". Unless KLM chooses a shell seat, it is a grim prospect.

If you are tall, recline is useless because it just transfers the discomfort to the legs rather than the bottom of your spine. I never recline, partly consideration (don't want another debate, please) and partly because it doesn't make me any more comfortable unless there is a very good raised footrest which is almost never the case in economy or even premium economy.

Someone reclining in front of you that far would effectively 'break' the IFE for the whole flight. I can just about still see the screen in front on UA's Economy Plus on the 777s if the person in front reclines, and that is with ordinary recline. So on KLM you would pay 150 Euros for a recline you don't want and then get broken IFE for 11 hours. No thanks!