dd1612

At the outset, I have been proactively checking that the allocated seats in EC/PE were still there when I checked in for each sector of the flight.

JFK-AMS and AMS-CPT have gone off without a hitch.

At 1.30pm today 3/27 started checkin at the self-service kiosk at CPT.

All EC seats confirmed (and used) for JFK-AMS- and AMS-CPT as shown on the KL web site After starting the checkin process, the kiosk gave me a seat 35D in regular coach! Grrrr.

I spoke to one of the supervisors who advised me to go no further with kiosk check-in and to check-in at the desk at 7.30pm.

Well, it appears someone at KLM/CPT has moved me out of the EC/PE seat, and the seat got 'purchased', exactly 30 seconds later!

The KLM flight control agent (contract staff & not the KLM staff on duty- the KLM agent was too busy in the office, I was informed!) , said that confirmed PE/EC seat assignments on the www.klm.com printout I provided meant nothing and that those seats are "always" for sale at the airport.

I strongly believe she was just making it up as she went along. And the more questions I asked the more 'reasons' (less-truthful) that she provided.

At least she did give me a 31A exit row seat, and I retained my EC/PE seat on the AMS-IAD sector, but it is extremely annoying to have the seat you have requested and had klm allocate and reconfirmed in Amsterdam, pulled out from under me HOURS before the flight.

This has been the 3rd time this has happened to me at CPT ..... in 8 weeks.
The excuse given "at CPT we use a different reservation system, than KLM".

I was given all sorts of excuses as reasons.

The main reason is: the flight is -14 in coach, 4 seats still available in World Business Class. Offered to volunteer - but the flights the next 3 days are way oversold. (I was informed)

Seems like the advertized benefit of free EC/PE seats on KLM for DM's/PM's is ONLY if and when KLM cannot sell those seats to someone else.

Some one at DL needs to sit down with their counter-part at KLM and agree what the TRUE benefit is, and how this works; right now, it looks like DL and KL do not see eye to eye on this.

And, further even within KLM ... at AMS and at CPT they don't see eye-to-eye!

edit: posting this from the lounge at CPT

3/28 5.15pm Edit: now back at IAD on my way to MSP.
Was upgraded at the Gate to WBC by the KLM flight control agent, with profuse apologies etc.
The KLM agent was still nowhere to be seen, despite 2 requests that I wanted to speak with her.
Also met a very nice FTer ... on the same flight, he was also upgraded at the Gate to WBC.
The flight had a number of NRSAs even on the jump seats.

NHFL9

This is the exact same line that I got regarding my flight on AF Sunday night with my Seat Plus seats (see my post prior to yours.) Only the CPT-CDG sector was affected, all the rest went off without a hitch. For whatever reason the CPT AF/KL contract staff systematically cancels these seat assignments. Not sure why AF/KL have not taken notice given all the problems reported here.

NB, it didn't seem to matter that I was DL elite. The agent thought I was FB Platinum and she was still telling me that I wasn't entitled to the seats!!

ats262

After reporting my EC seat loss on KLM to Delta, the Delta response was that there is a glitch in the KLM web site check-in software that releases those EC seats incorrectly.

Wonder if that's the same software in the KLM airport kiosks. Whatever it is, KLM needs to fix it.

davetravels

Personally, I don't really think DL gives a cr@p about this - as well many other issues that directly affect the customer experience.

Just a note that I did maintain my EC seat on AMS/CPT and JNB/AMS, so I wonder if the problem is mostly at CPT?

funflier

Just a quick follow up on my experience. Completed IAD>AMS>CPT RT and had a fabulous time. Made it into a mini vacation, so didn’t do the econo-version of the tour while in CPT. Highly recommend Jarat tours and the Cape Grace hotel on the waterfront. One day in the wine country and one day around the cape. Just terrific!

KL Seats: Had EC assigned from day one via DL elite line. Printed full details from KLM.com as advised above. Tried OLCI night before and IAD>AMS seats were in the back. AMS>CPT were as assigned. I was offered paid J upgrades for roughly $1900 each person. Declined.

Went to IAD at 13:30 day of departure (that was the time the ticket counter opened per DL elite rep). Waited 30 min for the KLM line to open, even though they were checking in Korean and AF passengers from the adjacent computers on both sides. Rep was non-native speaker (and hyper) and acted like there wasn’t a problem.

A supervisor appeared (not heated discussion, but I wasn’t going to give up). She acknowledged the issue, said my reserved seats were now gone (sold?) and re-assigned similar EC seating. I asked for 10 A/B as EF showed them empty. She said they were full and actually laughed when I asked (??). I went to the kiosk after I had my BPs with EC seating for both flights and saw that 10 A/B were not taken and I was offered them for 100 Euro each. Declined. EC seats were fine, but I was lied to… Surprise? No.

FYI the KL fight IAD>AMS the night before my trip had engine trouble and returned to IAD shortly after takeoff (seatmate was on the flight). This put them into an overbooked situation on my travel day, so I am thankful all seats weren’t taken when I arrived!

Return CPT>AMS seats were once again bumped to the back. I did NOT do OLCI just to see if this was the issue. No. KLM.com showed my EC seats minutes before real-life CI, but I was handed BPs with different seats. Agent acted like she didn’t notice but then re-assigned EC seats one row back at my assistance.

The good part. We both (DM and PM) were op-uped at the gate CPT>AMS. Didn’t have time to see if they were oversold. They took my BP at boarding, hand-wrote the new seat assignments in J, and handed them back to us. Wow. Slept well that trip.

AMS>IAD had 7 empty J seats. Asked about UG at lounge. Was offered UG for 25,000 x 2 miles plus 350 Euro each. Declined. J seats flew empty. Surprise #2, this leg appeared on my account as paid Y (ie full fare), and we both got 50% bonus EQM for the leg. Wonder if the lounge rep started the transaction? Don’t know why this happened, but no complaints.

$849 for the fare (didn’t want to deal with the JNB connection—I know it’s a MR).
21,662 EQM @ 3.9/elite mile
46,322 Redemable @ 1.8/mile

Not bad. I’d do it again…

Travelomania

Most of us had similar problems with EC seat selections, and indeed the surprise of the bonus miles flying in Y

After just completing several KL longhaul legs again, I can report that my selected EC seats were luckily intact.

RustyC

Re: EC. I guess ignorance was bliss is my case. My MSP-AMS was DL metal, though didn't get assigned until last minute (neither DL nor KL sites let me pick that one). On the others I went with 40A or 40J all the way on the 777s using the Seatguru advice (and I'm normally a window seat person). Not quite as much seat pitch as EC, but the curvature thing did help a little bit. Got the operational upgrade on AMS-CPT and flew 40A on JNB-AMS. Before AMS-ATL I asked at the KLM lounge in AMS if they had availability and they did, so I was moved on that flight from 40J to a window seat in EC.

I did get the bonus miles for AMS-ATL, but not for any other flights. Not sure why, but I won't say anything.