KLM to introduce 'Choice and Control' catering

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  • AMcWhirter
    Participant

    An existing Forum thread refers to British Airways upgrading Club World catering this summer.

    Now today’s Dutch media reports that KLM will also be upgrading its World Business Class catering to a ‘Choice and Control’ concept allowing passengers to dine when they like.

    Few details are available at present. But the concept will be launched this summer with the first two routes (from Amsterdam) being Tokyo and Johannesburg.


    canucklad
    Participant

    Sounds suspiciously like another opportunity to apply an ancillary fee for an enhancement that we should actually expect as part of the service. . But hey ho, as long as there are people willing to be parted from their hard earned cash, there’ll be companies ready to exploit them.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    Whenever I have experienced dine when you like concepts, crew have come around to ask whether I would like to dine at a specific time or just go with the general service flow. I know there will be some pax that will give a specific time, but in the main, most pax will eat with the general service. Its a nice add on benefit, but not one that is really earth shattering…


    esselle
    Participant

    Unless dining at a specific time is important to you. Not having a choice is easy as you don’t have to decide, but having one gives you an option.

    On long-haul eastbound evening departures I will often sleep for a few hours after take off as a way of preparing for the new time zone.

    Being able to order food outside of the programmed service is, in this context, quite a plus.


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    I tend to agree. But it’s a development for KLM which is not renowned for amenities such as this.

    Also today the airline has announced a new business class (long-haul) wine list which will be introduced in March and April.

    And it’s just announced a major extension and redesign of the Amsterdam Crown Lounge.

    This lounge will be enlarged in stages to accommodate up to 1,400 passengers compared with 800 today.

    It will remain open while the work takes place. Completion is planned for summer 2019.


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    To be fair to BA, they have already introduced dine when you like.

    You can press the call bell whenever you like and buy a tasty M&S snack.

    Very premium.


    esselle
    Participant

    You press a call bell and buy your second choice tasty snack because your first choice has sold out. Still, a tube of Pringles and a glass of warm white wine, whose origin is grapes but nothing more, is hard to beat when you are bored/hungry/thirsty………….


    stevescoots
    Participant

    I do tend to use dine on demand when available on carriers as I often like to sleep at take off which means either missing the service or staying awake for it


    MarcusGB
    Participant

    A profit of 1.09 Billion Euros, mostly generated by KLM was announced, an increase of 34% on last year. This is quite a turn for the Group, KLM driven. Shares have risen about 20% in a few days, from quite a low.
    Will there be a Dividend this year? Be hard not to with such profits…

    KLM are getting much right these days, Air France the opposite and shedding money. It would be better to take the two apart again, how is complicated.

    These innovations help KLM keep their World Business Class cabins pretty full currently, and the lounges pouring over at Schiphol. However, KLM introduced “Fresh from the Kitchen” meals a few years ago, no trolleys and redesigned as a whole service. This was very significant and made a huge difference, but this fizzled out and was stopped. Meals are pretty average if not poor at times, cuts to everything, and one crew member, a Purser, removed from each long haul flight a few weeks ago.

    It is about time innovation and additions that reflect improved Experiences, as so much is being cut Worldwide on all Airlines, that an Airlines making clever additions, will be set for greater custom and reputation.
    KLM appear to be achieving this, yet the difference between them and AF, is greater than ever, and simply no longer compatible.


    alainboy56
    Participant

    @MarcusGB – as I have written here previously, as it was learnt/heard in Italy, KLM will separate from AF, and AF will unite with AZ which obviously EY will gladly allow. This AZ fiasco (which I also forewarned a few years ago), has already cost the CEO and CFO their jobs.


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Interesting what alainboys56 has to say about AF/KL.

    It’s reported today that the salary of KLM’s CEO Peter Elbers has created unrest within the group.

    It appears that the board in Paris want to limit his salary rise.

    KLM itself wanted to reward its CEO for the carrier’s good financial results in 2016.

    Article in Dutch:

    http://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/nieuws/categorie/2/airlines/gedoe-over-inkomen-klm-topman-pieter-elbers

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