Review of KLM Cityhopper flight from Mulhouse / Bâle to Amsterdam in Business

introduction

This year was the year to Central and South America, after my trip to Chile and Peru, I wanted to see Mexico.

A fantastic deal was available with KLM to Cancun for around 1'400€ in business class, via Mexico and onward to Cancun with AeroMexico. Plus the flights to MEX were on the queen of the skies, and this beauty is slowly fading away.

The routing looks like this: 

euroairport bale mulhouse fribourg

That morning the check in area was super quiet, so was the security and in no time, I go straight to the business lounge. 

No matter which filter you take (there a three different inspection filters at the EuroAirport), you'll have to walk through the duty free if you want to access the international part or the lounge.

A view of the part right after the Duty Free, my gate will be the gate 20 but this is for a bit later.

Not that much people, but we are at STD -90'

As said, this is for later. As there is plenty of time left, let's go to the lounge.

Work in progress with the automated walkways being removed to make space for the gate and an additional passport control.

This is the passport control zone, soon to be fully extended with automated kiosks.

Entrance to the Skyview lounge:

skyview lounge eap

There are around 10 people waiting in line, not that common here. The first five people have paid accesses meaning it takes a bit of time. The passenger in front of me begins to be impatient and shows it. Frankly speaking it wasn't a big deal, it wasn't more than a matter of 5 minutes.

When it is his turns he literally slams his BP on the desk and begins to complain that the wait was far too long and that he just waist his time in waiting.

The agent keeps on smiling, scans his BP and asks for his Priority Pass card. He answers he doesn't have any. She says that as he is travelling on EasyJet, he should either have a Priority Pass card or he would need to pay access or have a voucher for the lounge. The guy has nothing of the above and begins to shout that he has paid for Speedy Boarding and that Speedy Boarding gives him the right to enter the lounge. The agent stays super calm and shows him a paper with who is allowed with what and ends the discussion by asking him either to pay or to leave or the security will be called. He leaves, fulminating and I just smile. 

I am next in the line and warmly welcomed as if nothing just happened :)

This is the ground level of the lounge: 

The offer is slightly lighter there:

Upstairs there is a cold cut / cheese buffet:

Also bakery items and hot dishes:

That was my selection: (I mostly take the same when I am there in the mornings)

This area is pretty empty:

The FIDS:

The toilets are clean:

The best part of the lounge is the terrace:

There isn't that much to see apart from the above EasyJet A320 and some freighters with this 734 at the background, the FedEx 757 hidden by the A300 flying for DHL in the foreground. 

Work in progress:

A320 taking off:

The highlight of the day was this AMAC MD87 taking off. A rare sight:

And a beautiful bird:

See you!

Austrian E95 ex and to VIE:

And my plane just landed, that means, time to go!

Sun Express 738 to AYT:

Two last pics of my plane:

Not travelling alone this time:

the flight

The boarding process starts on time with a strict respect of the priorities. We can board via the jetty but the arrival passengers are transferred via bus as the main luggage delivery hall is under construction.

EasyJet A319:

The door and the jetty controls:

We are greated by the purser, the cabin is the standard E90 cabin, and I like that much ways better over the shabby hard seats of the E-75:

Safety Card:

On-board magazine: 

The pitch is more than ok:

Good Bye EAP!

Water bottles are handed out:

This E90 comes and will return to CDG:

It's still a quiet day, some Easy birds and TK that arrives from IST with a 738:

Take off from runway 33 today:

Just after this arriving A319:

Our turn:

V1, take off:

Overflying runway 26:

This is Basel:

The countryside is really green:

The Alps:

The Matterhorn, middle left:

Mt Blanc:

The Vosges:

Then the Cityhopper box is served with the menu here:

As received:

Without the lids:

Together with an orange juice and a coffee:

It was good, nothing to complain about for the food, what I hate, is the use of a carton box and plastic cutlery. This isn't business at all and KLM mainline serves the same products but in proper dishes. Why is there a need to make such a difference? 

Air to Air with an other KL or KL Cityhopper flight, I wasn't able to identify the aircraft. 

I handed my box back like this. Easy ;)

I took a quick nap and awoke just at the end of the descent, the weather isn't that nice at all here. What a change!

The landing was really, really hard. One of the hardest I had.

The new terminal work is progressing:

We parked at the terminal:

A very last view over my seat:

Followed by a lengthy walk through AMS:

Thank you for reading and following this new series, the next part will be online very soon!