KLM – Dubai, UAE (DXB) to Amsterdam, Netherlands (AMS) – Flight KL428

Mediocre Flight from Dubai to Amsterdam.

Flight Information: KLM – Dubai, UAE (DXB) to Amsterdam, Netherlands (AMS) – Flight KL428

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is the national airlines of the Netherlands and is the oldest airline in the world. Its main base is in Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. In 2004, KLM merged with Air France, creating Air France-KLM, incorporated under French law. Both Air France and KLM, however, still continue to fly under distinct names. Air-France-KLM is part of the Sky Team alliance with Northwest Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, and Northwest Airlines among others. (Click here to read our Dubai resort and restaurant reviews and click here to read our Amsterdam hotel and restaurant reviews.)

For this flight, we flew business class from Dubai, UAE to Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Check-In: We stopped by Dubai in transit to Amsterdam and thus were able to bypass the check-in process for our 2 AM flight. We already received our boarding passes at our originating airport.

First Impressions: Having flown KLM business class before, we were expecting (and were prepared for) the average business class cabin and the so-so service. It seems that KLM has been in business for so long that they’ve been resting on their laurels, not threatened by younger airlines that go the extra mile and provide outstanding service.

The Cabin: Our plane was a Boeing 777-200 with a seating configuration of 2x3x2 of six rows. With seats for 42 people, it felt crowded and not much more spacious than economy. The seats were 170 degree angled lie-flat seats with a ten-inch TV monitor and Audio Video on Demand. Other features include laptop power ports, a massage function, and a privacy canopy.

The Flight (Service/Food/Drink): On board, they offered three course meals, beverages and snacks. Since the flight was scheduled at 2 AM, we were not very hungry at the start of the flight; the food they served us was thus fitting—a perfectly sized portion of chicken penne pasta for a warm snack and an extra-large sized dark chocolate roulade for dessert. To go with the snack, I tried their KLM Special Red wine of the month—a 2006 Evento from Douro, Portugal. It is a complex wine with fine oak and tannins, red berries and earthy notes. It was a bit heavy for the penne pasta but paired up well with the chocolate dessert.

For breakfast, we had a parsley omelet, apple cinnamon crepe with strawberry compote and vanilla sauce, extremely fresh fruits, and hot rolls with smoked turkey and cheese—perfectly sized portions, perfect presentation.

While the food was satisfying, service throughout the flight was extremely poor. Even though it was a night flight and most of the passengers were sleeping, it would have been nice to have the flight attendants check on us once in a while. What we got from them, however, was general indifference.

Arrival: We arrived in Amsterdam on time, deplaned and went through immigration quickly and efficiently. The long, long delay, however, came when we waited for our luggage. For some reason, even though our bags had been tagged priority (which is one of the benefits of flying business class), they actually came out ten minutes after all the bags had been delivered! I am guessing it was because we had had such a long layover (six hours) in Dubai that the luggage somehow did not get loaded with everything else. Regardless, the priority tags gained us no benefits on this flight.

Overall Impression The KLM flight from Dubai to Amsterdam was average at best. The lackluster, poor service and the extra long delay in receiving our bags were the two main reasons that this flight can only be rated as between bombastic and not.

Additional Information:
Flight Time: 7 Hours, 25 Minutes

Skyteam Member Airlines: Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Air France, Alitalia, China Southern, Continental, Czech Airlines, Delta, KLM, Korean Air, Northwest (NWA),
Skyteam Associates: Air Euorpa, Copa Airlines, Kenya Airways

Be sure to read our Dubai resort and restaurant reviews and our Amsterdam hotel and restaurant reviews.


Airport Codes:
Dubai - DXB
Amsterdam - AMS

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