CO Plat Experience on KLM
 

Nervously flew KLM from LCY to AMS with my wife this past weekend. Was nervous about the trip just given the occasional horror stories I've heard about KLM and my own person experiences flying them from NYC to AMS.

Anyhow, I'm actually posting with the exact opposite experience--things went very well . . .

We got to LCY a little too early . . . three hours too early to be exact. What can I say, I just moved to London, I didn't realize it was actually practically in the city. We approached the information desk and asked if we could standby for an earlier flight. We were told that due to the incoming weather, there were a lot of people already on the list trying to do the same thing we were (although we didn't do it intentionally--we're not that smart!), but that because of my Elite Plus status (this she noted, not me), she would see what she could do. About ten minutes later my wife and I were paged with two seats on the flight. I'd brag and say they were non-middles, but the whole plane is non-middle. When we got to the gate, we saw many people that were trying to get on the flight denied including people we saw at the counter asking about the standby when we did. Wow, if only Continental could get the standby priority right.

On the flight, I was treated very well by the flight attendant. Ironically I was the only person on the flight that got the whole can of soda. I think its a sad state of things that this is what we have to look forward to, but its something.

Coming home we went to the KLM lounge in AMS (using the E+ for entry). I was, from other posters, expecting to be outright rejected, but they were very pleasant and welcomed us right in.

My only real KLM complaint (well two, but they're pathetically minor) is that I sat in the last row on the plane in both directions. Okay, going there, no big deal, that was due to my standby, but that was my row anyway if we took the later flight. I tried calling to move our seats, but they were not very flexible in assigning the elite seats to us, even though I thought we were entiteld to them. Its 14 rows though, so no big deal and you have to wait for the bus in AMS anyway. My other complaint is they charged £6.00 per ticket for using American Express (it was another price for using another credit card, but to avoid getting yelled at by some expert on the board when I misquote it, I'll just say it was another price). Come on, you're an airline . . . credit cards is pretty much part of your business. You wouldn't expect me to march down to you with cash!

KLM horror stories? Do tell.

I think most European carriers have a credit card surcharge. And yes, KL do expect you to march down to pay them with cash. I recently did just that when I couldn't get a CC to go through on the web. They also do bank transfers for no charge.

KL / AF horror stories are far, far less common than, say, NW or DL horror stories.