Review of KLM flight Amsterdam → Montreal in Business

Welcome to the second part of this routing, we are now heading to Montreal, Quebec. This is not our final destination yet :)

Transit AMS

We used the automated kiosks to enter the Non Schengen departures. It took us less than 2 minutes, as we arrived half of the kiosks were closed but they suddently opened one after the others. We just had to chose which one we wanted to use :)

The FIDS:

The transfer check point was more or less empty. We could by pass it since we were arriving from a Schengen flight.

Crown Lounge KLM Non Schengen

The lounge was still under full renovation so lots of parts were either closed or curtained off. There were lots of people but we were able to get two seats in a small renovated area. I noticed that most of the seats have no power nor USB plugs. This is something I can't understand nowadays as every traveller is always, at some point, looking for charging his laptop or phone.

For exemple, those seats have absolutely no plugs around:

And the view isn't spectacular:

Dinning zone:

But this is the only buffet there:

You need to go to another part of the lounge if you want to eat something more substantial. Here the salad bar:

Processed cheese and cold cuts:

As hot dish, pasta with tomato sauce.

In the meantime the new lounge opened but remember, we are here in 2018 in the flagship lounge of the airline. All they were able to offer was some salads and pasta with tomato sauce. Thanks god this is over, but that lounge was a real disgrace.

I forgot to mention the "desserts":

My brother was able to find meat balls somewhere :)

He wasn't thrilled about his selection at all :)
For me apple juice and that's it:

The only good thing was the WIFI that worked fast and well.

before the flight

With no regrets we left the lounge and went to our gate. As my brother wanted to smoke, I make a quick spotting spot. Our plane is here:

Usually a 332 is sent to YUL but AF is on strike since a while and KL has upgraded the equipment to cope with the additional demand. On that specific flight they were looking for 10 volunteers to fly the day after against 600€ cash or 800€ vouchers. They were found quickly.

Atrals Jet A321, another one long gone.

Heading to our gate:

It was supposed to be here:

Strange:

It was in fact just a bit further:

the flight

Boarding started with business class and SP passengers:

Left for us:

The aircraft door:

The purser welcomed us warmly, here  is the business cabin, no full flat seats but it wasn't a surprise. At that time only two of the 33S received the flat beds cabin.

The seat:

The toilets:

Champagne as welcome drink:

Welcome kit:

The content is very poor, no pen, no hand lotion, no lip balm, just the strict basics:

Forward view:

The pitch:

Seat controls:

Handset:

If needed there is a small privacy screen that can be pulled out but it is not really useful:

We flew aboard PH-AFK, the last of the KL 333, delivered only 3 years ago but the product is so outdated. I don't know why KL chose to equip their 333 with that seat instead of full access seats.

Menus are handed out:

The meals (sorry only in French)

Drinks:

Wines:

The welcome page for our flight to YUL:

A queen of the skies, also gone now … :(

Safety card:

The tray table:

On time push back with this 777 SkyTeam Livery:

Another 773:

AMS:

TUI leased this 738 from Canada:

Transavia from Gol:

KL 738:

and 739:

BA 320 and 319:

The beautiful F100:

More aircrafts:

Leaving soon:

But giving way to DL:

Bye AMS!

The IFE worked until the second meal service then broke and couldn't be fixed.

Bye Europe!

Service starts with a wet luke warm towel:

To start with I had dutch cheese with a sweet wine:

As starters both my brother and I choose the smoked beef carpaccio vs the tomato soup. The beef came with mushrooms on top:

It looked nice and it was good.

My brother took the beef dish, for me it was chicken

It was minced beef on a curry sauce with potatoes. He liked it but it doesn't look good :)
That's my chicken:

The meat was good but overall the dish was not that great. The sauce was tasteless, the spinach thing in the middle was missing salt and the rice wasn't good at all.

For the dessert it was an apple mousse that was good. We took some fruits to go with:

Followed by a chocolate and a coffee:

Apart from the starter, the rest of the meal was just ok.

Then the mood lighting is turned on and I will take a nap.

But suddenly the lights are turned on full bright and stay like that. As the crew asked the window blinds to be lowered, I didn't get the point why closing the windows and turning on the lights. Here the seat in "bed" mode, where you see how much bright the cabin was:

I pushed the call button twice without anyone coming, then I went to the galley and asked the crew if it would be possible to switch off the lights, the cabin attendant looked surprised since she thought she did it. She checks the cabin and realized that instead of turning it completely off, she turned it completely on :)

We are here before my nap:

Two hours before landing, the lights are slowly turned on again:

Outside view:

Hot towel to start with:

For the second meal the choice was either burger or beetroot salad, we went for the burger.

We could eat it, but I will not say this was a good burger.
The dessert was ok but ways to sweet:

The meal reached its end and we still had 01H15 to go. This is a common problem with KL, they always serve the second meal too early. The service could easily have been delayed by 30' at least.

Outside view:

Approaching Montréal:

This isn't a place I want to visit:

Almost there!

738 Max:

A310 and A330:

AC:

Another Max:

We didn't lose time to head to immigration;

It was almost empty, we used the kiosks and then an agent checks the papers and the passport but … no more stamp to enter Canada. Sad as I am a stamp fan :)

Luggage delivery hall:

We went to the Marriott as Montreal was only a layover of around 12H for us:

First cigarette for my brother on Canadian soil:

LX flies back to Zurich:

Here the Marriott with some nice views over the tarmac:

787 AC:

E-175:

A 330-300:

767-300:

More Dreamliners: