#40 out of 94 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings.
1061 reviews
I'm on my way back home from Haugesund. Theoretically, I could have taken a flight from Haugesund to Bergen, but that hardly seems worth it. It's usually only a twenty minute flight and you spend more time waiting around that actually flying. So, instead I take the bus from Haugesund to Bergen.
At around 15h00 I pick up my suitcase from the locker at the station and make my way to the side exit, where the tram stop is.
Tickets for the tram can be purchased at the tram stop. However, the tickets are not printed but sent to your mobile number instead. The tram line 1 goes to the airport. However, it can get rather busy and it takes about fifty minutes to get from the city centre to the airport.
The airport is the terminus stop of the line 1. The station is outside, at the basement level of the terminal.
Check-in for all flights is in the new, main terminal building. KLM has three counters open.
There's also a fast track lane for security, which is available to SkyPriority passengers.
International departures are from the old terminal. There is a short bridge connecting the old and new terminals airside.
A lounge is available to KLM SkyPriority passengers. It is located one floor up from the general airside area.
It's a nice enough lounge with plenty of space to sit and windows overlooking the ramp. There's also a nice buffet with a good selection of dishes.
The problem with the old terminal is that the gate areas are way too small, mainly because too much of the airside space is taken up by retail and restaurants. So instead of joining the general scrum, I decide to wait and board last. That will also give me a chance to take photos without being interrupted or being in the way.
The cabin is in good condition. I'm seated on 1F, and I have the whole row of three seats to myself. On the other side of the cabin there one more passenger. And on row two there is a couple right behind me, and a deadheading crew on 2C.
The scheduled flight time to Amsterdam is one hour and 45 minutes. However, the crew inform us that today we will have a flight time of only 75 minutes.
Don't get me started about KLM's Business Class catering. I like some of their old-school touches, like the printed menu.
Other than that, though, I find that their meals tend to be just a bit too experimental for my liking. I also think serving a Business Class meal in a box on the mainline fleet is a bit shabby.
The main course is fine, but a roll of bread with it wouldn't have hurt anyone, would it?
The meal is served with walnuts to accompany it, and three macarons for dessert. To drink I have sparkling water.
And to finish off the meal, I have a mint tea, which is served with a small chocolate biscuit.
as announced by the crew, we land in Amsterdam after a flight time of only 70 minutes and make a short taxi to our stand on the D concourse. The weather in Amsterdam is warmer than Norway, but the sky is murky.
I now have ninety minutes to make my onward connection.
I've always had a bit of a soft spot for KLM. I like their brand and I'm always impressed by the professionalism and consistency of their staff. In my many years of travelling with KLM, I've yet to encounter a bad KLM crew. The B 737 has a nice, spacious cabin. Although I do feel that they are getting a bit long in the tooth. So it's probably a good thing that KLM will soon start phasing them out in favour of the A 320 NEO family. The catering, though, remains an issue...
2 Comments
Indeed! It's been a long time since I've flown KLM, but ever time I'd flown them in the past the cabin crew were consistently friendly and enthusiastic.
Thanks for sharing!
A very nice lounge for such a small airport. Time to erase UA from that board, don’t think the EWR service will be resurrected.
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