Hi everybody !
Welcome in this new flight-report !
After two years without long-haul flights, a friend suggests that I spend a few days with him and 4 other friends in January 2021 in the United Arab Emirates.
From Paris, there are a lot of airlines to choose from. AF and EK with direct flights or with KL, LX or LH with stopovers in Amsterdam, Zürich or Frankfurt.
My friends are leaving from FRA or STR will stop over in Amsterdam. To join them, I would take KLM. This will allow me to test the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner.
You can find my routing here. The 2 flights between Paris and Amsterdam will not be postponed but you can find them written in French.
Flight routing
- 1
- 2KL427 - Economique - Amsterdam –> Dubai - Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner
- 3KL428 - Economique - Dubai –> Amsterdam - Boeing 787-10
- 4
KL1230 Paris to Amsterdam - KLM - Boeing 737-800
A PCR test of less than 72 hours is required for transit to Amsterdam and less than 96 hours to enter Dubai.
It is quickly checked when we board in Paris.
With the verification of COVID tests, the boarding will take a long time. The flight will be almost full.
I would be seated in 5A in the ECO + section
We take off almost 40 minutes late
The snack offered by KL is very correct! Few airlines still offer such a service with the Covid
After 42 minutes in the air, we land in Amsterdam. I'm off to meet my friends at the crown lounge.
KL427 Amsterdam to Dubai - KLM - Boeing 787-10
The airport is empty. All non-essential stores are closed.
After the border control, I will meet my friends at the Crown Lounge. I am informed that I must go to the 2nd floor for a temperature control as well as to fill out a paper allowing me to leave for Dubai. For passengers not passing through the lounge, these formalities must be completed at gate E1.
The lunch offer is only vegetarian this lunchtime. I would take a plate of Mac & Cheese.
For dessert, I take a slice of cheesecake which was very good !
1:15 p.m., it's time to leave the lounge and go to the gate.
My friends and I are heading to our departure gate, E22
Delta A350-900XWB
737-800 KLM with the Skyteam livrery and a KLM Boeing 787-9
Gate E1 where passengers to four destinations must complete the form which will allow them to board.
Our big bird for today !
PH-BKA, 787-10 Dreamliner with the special livrery "KLM 100 years".
Time for boarding
With my friend Daniel, we are seated at the row 26.
The seat is beautiful but really uncomfortable !
Another safety card for my collection ! ;-)
Right view
Boarding completed, we can push back and start the engines.
Take off to the north, we turning around above Amsterdam and we're go to the south-east.
Just a few minutes after take-off, the crew are passing through the cabin to give this "personal protection pack", a water bottle and some earphones for the passagers who don't have there own.
The meal will be served one hour after take-off. The only choice available is pasta.
Outside, the sun goes down after two hours of flight.
The second service is served 2:45 before landing in this plastic bag. It is not very well to present but it is full !
We're over Saudi Arabia when the cabin crew turn off the lights.
Above Bahrain.
We will turn around to land facing west.
Bye Bye PH-BKA ! It was nice to meet you !
We get off the plane on time at midnight, the PCR test is checked and immigration will only take us 10 minutes.
No luggages to collect, we will take an Uber directly to get to our hotel.
Thank you for reading, and see you soon for the return flight ! ;-)
Hi there, thanks for sharing this interesting report on KLM longhaul service during the pandemic! Looks like your timing was perfect with your trip to Dubai right before France closed the borders at the end of January! I flew out from France to the US on Jan 16 and technically I can't come back to France now, even as a French citizen...but I won't get into a rant on how I feel about that subject, haha.
Overall a decent flight on KLM with the service seemingly not reduced in times of Covid, though the pre-arrival snack was in a plastic bag. That's not terribly shocking to me because I've seen that on US carriers well before Covid, haha.
Too bad the seats were hard, luckily it's a relatively short flight to DXB...A flight to NRT or SCL would be doubly painful.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Kevin and thank you for your comment!
We left only a few hours before the French Prime Minister announced new measures with a quarantine on return.
KLM does not make you dream on long-haul, for the price to pay, you should not expect too much either! LoL
I can't imagine taking back KLM on even longer flights, I came home extremely tired from the return flight!
thank you for reading and see you soon! ;-)
Thanks for sharing it with us! What a cool FR...
KLM's Boeing 787-10 does looks beautiful. I really want to fly with them.
Quite funny pictures on "Damaged Devices, call help" but the pax look like cursing to the Cabin Crew...
Thank you for your comment !
It was my first flight on the 787-10. I didn't really like the plane which I found very noisy. I prefer the A350 which is more comfortable! ;-)
See you soon ! ;-)