On one of my recent business trips to Europe, I had the opportunity to fly with KLM and what a lovely trip it was. Although I have flown with a couple of SkyTeam member airlines, it had been years since I had the pleasure of flying KLM Royal Dutch Airlines when I flew from Dubai to Cannes via Amsterdam.
As I usually arrive early for flights (I don’t like the stress of last minute check in), there was no queue at check in, and therefore, I was on my way to departures in no time. If you have a VIP client, I would highly recommend using KLM’s VIP service whereby a staff member personally accompanies them through immigration, security and to the SkyTeam lounge where your client can relax before their trip ahead. They also collect your client from the lounge and accompany them just in time to board the aircraft – so no need to queue at all.
SkyTeam’s 960 square metre lounge in Dubai’s Terminal one, Concourse D, offers a wide range of refreshments, food and snacks, and other amenities. The lounge is for First and Business class passengers. SkyTeam Elite members can also have access to lounge regardless of their class of travel. SkyTeam Elite members can also bring a guest, provided they too are on one of the SkyTeam Member airlines.
Once on board the 28-seat business class, I was welcomed by a smiling friendly cabin crew, who helpfully provided information on how easy it was to get from the airport to the city centre (just 10 minutes on the train!). The Holland Herald inflight magazine featured some useful tips and information on things to do in Amsterdam. As the train journey is so easy, I had time to do a boat trip on the canal and see some traditional Dutch houses, including one where Anne Frank was hidden for two years during World War II and where she wrote her famous book The Dairy of a Young Girl.
The 160-cm fully flat seat was just what was needed to catch a good night’s sleep before landing in Amsterdam. The crew was friendly and always at hand, for anything I needed and this was true of the crew on the European connection too.
With all the latest box office hits, TV drama, comedies and documentaries – there is something for everyone to keep entertained during the short six-hour flight, or, like my fellow passenger, use the time to catch up on some work.
The Amenity kit was well thought out (for ladies anyway), as you could even possibly use this as an evening clutch bag. I also liked the souvenir they handed out in the premium cabin, of a replica of a traditional Dutch house, which makes for a great keepsake.
I would highly recommend KLM to be considered for your client’s next trip. The airline is the world’s number one airline in terms of punctuality (as per 2016 report by Flightstats), provides 24/7 customer service via social media and has a 24 hours cancellation policy. This, along with seamless connections to more than 1,060 destinations in 177 countries as part of the SkyTeam network, KLM is an option you cannot ignore.