He got triggered over this. The same way I got triggered over how he pronounced the city he originated from "Graz" as it sounds more like "Gerät" or something like that. And I have noticed he likes to pronounce "Danke schön" like "Doinkeh-shen". 🤣
😂😂😂😂 the final destination of KL807/808 the main KLM Asia route route is MNL T1 which makes the crew being Dutch/Flemish Taiwanese and Filipino. Do KL808 back to AMS there's some going to JFK KL643 KL619/618 BOS for PVD. Although KE has the shorter layover via ICN from MNL for BOS
I can confirm by a fact that Latin Americans really, really like KLM (and Air France also) because it allows them to connect to the rest of the world without a hassle, mainly because transiting via AMS DOES NOT require a visa compared to doing so via the US (which only Chileans can go without lengthy formalities due to visa waivers). KL/AF networks are vast enough to allow them to go pretty much everywhere, and at reasonable prices as well! (Side note: the SCL-EZE fifth freedom flight is also heavily used because KLM offers fantastic full-service fares that are often cheaper than low cost airlines like JetSmart and SKY, and those are as basic as you can get...) Great video, David!
@@odzergaming, that is indeed true for most Latin American nationalities at all *MAJOR* connection hubs outside the US and Canada that I can think of, but sometimes a few routes may lead them to some more unusual connecting airports that may require visas. For example, Aeromexico sometimes offers fares attractive enough to tempt passengers from Latin America to Europe to make a long detour through Mexico City, and Mexico now requires a visa for Brazilians and a few other Latin American nationalities (waived if the person has a valid visa for the US or Canada).
Chileans have no issues taking advantage of US/CA hubs thanks to ESTA and eTA waivers. I've used LAX and SFO a few times already because of said lack of formalities. The rest of LATAM has it more complicated though. As insane as it sounds, people from there do fly to New Zealand if they need to reach Asia. Same thing goes for DXB or DOH: no formalities. The tradition has always been going via AMS, CDG or FRA though.
I really feel the opposite from you about Schiphol. I love that it is all one terminal, that you don't have to transfer with a bus or train to go to different ones. It is also very easy to navigate, impossible to get lost. A walk is very welcome in between 2 flights. Schiphol had huge issues with security / passport lines right after covid, but those times are luckily long gone.
KLM crews have always been very kind and friendly in my flights with them. I've had better experiences with some other airlines, but overall I feel like KLM is one of the most consistent in terms of service quality.
KLM Asia seems more like a livery than an actual branding, since the plane at timestamp 9:26 also recently flew to non Asia routes like Guayaquil and Quito
You are correct also the Eastern United States Amsterdam to JFK and Boston Logan. For the KLM Asia flight to Taipei it's actually going to Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport
I'm surprised you dislike layovers in AMS. To me, the single terminal concept makes transferring a whole lot more convienient, compared to let's say CDG or FRA.
Yeah, you can see both regular KLM and Asia flying both China and Taiwan today. The only possible answer I can think of is that KLM wants to keep the brand to stay on good terms with China. Currently, KLM is actually the only European airline flying to Taiwan. Maybe that plays a role in them keeping the brand to not upset China. Even though China isn't making a big of a deal about it anymore. Funny enough, you mentioned the fleet of KLM Asia here 12:23 consisting of 9 B777. It's actually 8 now. One of the Boeing 777-300ER (PH-BVC) has been repainted to the regular KLM livery a few months ago. Maybe they're finally starting to drop the brand.
I think that was a reason for it indeed. To keep the KLM and KLM Asia fleet seperated with the China and Taiwan conflict. With this ''new'' company they can still fly to Taiwan and China.
The only thing I can really get behind regarding the livery is that it protects the "KLM Asia" brand just in case they ever need it again or want to use it for some reason. :)
I would guess that KLM is simply choosing to be prepared for China and Taiwan once again reverting to the tense situation that existed before. It’s a contingency plan. That it hasn’t happened in 20 years is no proof of a failing plan. It’s not like China and Taiwan have resolved their issues, or likely will anytime soon.
86 is a lucky number in China too I heard, with '8' (八) sounding like the word for 'prosperity' (发/發) & '6' (六) sounding like the word for 'flow' (流) in Mandarin. It's also the country code for mainland China/the PRC. Maybe not a co-incidence. SIA also has its flight numbers for routes serving greater China starting with '8' e.g. SQ872 & 890 for SIN-HKG
I think he speaks Mandarin pretty perfectly. Heard him pronounce some Chinese radish or something. He never told us when and why he learned it (so perfectly). Would be really interesting.
I recently asked klm why there still is an Asia devision. They told me that the crown in the logo is the issue for some countries. It was for countries like Thailand where they are not allowed to show the crown. But these aircraft fly all over the world, also to NA for example.
😂 haha... likely story! It sounds good, but it doesn't figure. I wonder which countries they meant? I guess one of them could have been China but the others??? The crown in the KLM logo is simply a reflection of the airline's name KLM, the acronym for "Koninklijk Luchtvaart Maatschappij" (or "Royal Airtravel Company" in English). Those un-named countries object to the logo but not to the "Royal" in KLM's name? Unlikely. It is similar to the English tradition of the King or Queen granting companies by Appointment the right to use "Royal" in their name. In the UK there are many, even jars of marmalade have Royal and a Crown logo. The Royal connection occurs in other airlines, such as Morocco's and Jordan's national airlines. Even in Asia, Royal Brunei Airlines and Royal Nepal etc are not bothered by these un-named countries. Why is KLM and the Dutch Crown singled out? British Airways which carries the Royal Mail, shamelessly shows the British Crown in the logo of the Royal Mail on the fuselage of their aeroplanes but that's not a problem. Why? 😂😱 So I think those people at KLM were fobbing you off with a slick but unlikely & inconsistent explanation 🧐. Why would these un-named countries they told you about object only to the Dutch Crown?
Not a problem in China. Crowns and symbols resembling monarchy are okay, so long as China diplomatically recognize the corresponding country, i.e. Dutch, UK, Thailand, or even post-WW Japanese monarchs. But not from states that China doesn't recognize, namely Vatican city.
@@sinaasappelflapso Thailand banned Royal Brunei Airlines, and Royal Nepal Air flying in from neighbouring Nepal, and also British Airways aircraft which flagrantly display the British Crown in the Royal Mail logo on their fuselages?? I think not. And which other countries "like Thailand" do you mean?
And the Boeing 747 'Queen of the Skies' looked splendid with this livery. The blue (often called "KLM Blue" here) is unique, and is as Dutch as clogs & tulips! Someone here commented that it reminds of blue in traditional Delft Blauw pottery. I think so too. But I live in Amsterdam, and here KLM blue is the sky colour and the gentle sunlight quality are unique in NL, even commented on by artists like Rembrandt and Vermeer. When I'm overseas and missing 'home', that blue on the KLM plane at the airport touches my heart again .."Ah! Thuis! ❤️ I'm going 'home".
I'm a short man at 1.67 m or 5'6". I've never been in the Netherlands or flown on KLM, and I guess I would be considered even shorter there. But I did fly on the MD-11 in another airline and route, and as you know, KLM was the last airline to fly that type of plane in passenger service. At the time of my flight, KLM actually had a large fleet of them, and as an aviation buff, I knew that fact. And while I mostly enjoyed the MD-11 experience, I couldn't reach the luggage racks, they were too high for me (the MD-11 was the only aircraft type where this happened). I thought that there must have been some Dutch designers at McDonnell-Douglas, and that the plane being designed for tall people was probably one of the reasons why KLM liked it so much... 😂
I live near MSP and every now and then a KLM 777 with the KLM Asia livery shows up here. Always fun to see but I remember being so confused about it when I saw it for the first time.
10:29 It seems that KLM Asia painted aircrafts were mixed with others KLM aircrafts in 2000s. I took a KLM flight AMS-GRU with B747 combi in KLM Asia paint. Also, KLM Asia B747s were sighted in Japan.
According to the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK), there is no KLM Asia (anymore?). There is only KLM (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. KVK 33014286) , KLM Cargo (KVK 33014286) and KLM Cityhopper B.V. (KVK 34035358)
@@thofstee I would expect it to be registered in the Netherlands or France, but neither has any results. Doesn't seem logical to me that it is registered in a completely different country, but am no expert in that
@@LeviRamsey It is also not listed in their Subsidiaries list in their anual report 2023 (KLM-Annual-Report_2023.pdf page 230). So I think it doesn't exist anymore and just kept the name on their aircraft livery
I have an idea about a tripreport. I am very curious about the Corendon a350 with the adult only section. Is it worth it on a 9 hour flight from Amsterdam to Curaçao? Or is it just a gimmick.
I actually saw a KLM 777-200ER taking off from my home town of Minneapolis about a week ago now. Watching this video and seeing that plane's registration, I believe Simply Aviation flew on the same aircraft I saw.
Going from Amsterdam via Taiwan to Manila in January with KLM on their Boing 777-200. 16 hours in economy class. Looking forward to that. Thanks for the video 👌
Assigned to economy comfort seats for free if requested at checkin counter? Thanks for the advice! Actually these seats also recline, the old ones all did and economy, and in comfort even further
It is a Dutch airline. The Dutch love apples and apple products. I grew up with apple juice and apple pastries and products like apple crumble for dessert. Still love all of these. This helps make it Dutch to me. Just wish one got the little delft bottles in economy though.
Considering how spot on you were on the pronunciations @ 20:52 I'm fairly confident you can pronounce Edmonton right. Not once but twice if you wanna get nit picky. Not Edmont
In many years of flying, I have never seen anyone use the coat hook. I was once tempted to hang a small bag from it but realized it would have been more of an annoyance to the person next to me.
Just to add. - There is a service for disabled ppl. You have to reqeust and they wil take you with a smal kart from one terminal to another one (saw that last year) - Al the bleu and white colors are in resembalance of Delfts Blauw, a historic pottery. I love flying with KLM and you video gave that feeling that i always have when i get on one of there planes. Home and adventure :)
You‘ve pointed it right. KLM used to be such a great airline. Since AF-KLM seems to be the french have the upper hand in that regard. Back in the 2000‘s I remember as a kid I could have taken the kids meal out after arrival. And that impression is still kept. AF-KLM should balance the offers as You mentioned. „Egalite“. KLM will always be in my heart as a former little flying dutch man.
Interesting video. I am an extremely frequent flier on both AF and KL long haul in Y and although I admit immediately that AF J is a league above KL, KL’s Y product is a league above AF. Yes AF serves a cheap champagne but how does it taste? I believe the wine in KL is of better quality, as is their whole catering. Cute little bag from AF but the content is of low quality, stale bread and processed foods. Also, in general, the service is more personal on KL than AF in Y, plus I believe also that KL is more Dutch than AF is French. There are so many references to The Netherlands, for example the safety video that you refer to from AF but not KL. I agree that serving 2 apple items is unfortunate but the product itself is totally different. What airline serves hot towels in Y? It does cost a lot as you need crew to warm them up and serve which takes at least double, if not triple the time. And then they have to pick them up again. Not dfeasable in Y. Good job with “Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij”😊😜 But the direct translating is actually “Royal Aviation Company”
After seeing this video I’m confused. What was a KLM Asia airplane doing in Mexico City? Recently I saw a plane spotting video from MEX and there was one…
I work at AMS and I get what you're saying that it can be a long walk to your new gate. Although I saw you were pretty unlucky with your departure gate, being at the end of the E pier. It can indeed get insanely crowded in the waiting lounges.
I was at the Amsterdam Airport for Planespotting and actually saw the other KLM Asia plane that you showed, which was scheduled to fly to Somewhere in the US.
11:51 😂 I’ve read somewhere on the internet that it’s just these liveries that are still in service, but I don’t remember where I read it and I also don’t know why these liveries are still around 🤷🏻♀️
What about the transfer in Frankfurt? Because the distance to be covered is certainly greater there, as I recently found out when trying to catch the return flight Cancun-Frankfurt-Poznan
If you like small Liège airports (LGG) is a good option. These are charter flights for Tui Belgium, with two flights a day during the summer season. No duty free or shop ;)
David obviously linguistically talented. This video also featured Castillilan Spanish, Dutch (or Nederlandisch for purists) and his usual flawless English.
Thanks so much for explaining the reasons for using (and not using) certain numbers in flights to China! I appreciate the shared knowledge. I wonder if keeping the Asia livery has something to do with the history of kingdoms in Asia that could have triggered the removal of the crown?
Hehe, I flew exact same aircraft in December 2022 and it was a KLM Asia Plane (Reg PH-BQH) operating from AMS-BOM. They fly sometimes these aircraft to Asia and they look almost the same as a regular KLM Aircraft. Regardless, ther service is always great & crew is always friendly.
The 772's are the last planes that have been scheduled for the cabin refresh (incl. the addition of Premium Economy). They expect to finish within the coming months. It also seems you had one of the last non-refurbished aircraft.
The KLM Asia aircraft with nosename "Nahanni National Park" (registered PH-BQN) is still lingering in my mind tho. I glad had a chance to photographed him in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia back in 2018
Great review as always! I recently flew KLM for the first time back in April from Kuala Lumpur to Amsterdam and I was very impressed. That flight was also my very first flight on a 787 Dreamliner :) I would certainly fly with them again in the future. On that same trip in April I also flew with Air France for the first time and was just as impressed with their long haul Economy product. Air France's newest A350's have dimmable windows which was a surprise :) Looking forward to your upcoming reviews :)
Great video as always, I am not a fan of transiting through AMS but is beats CDG by a mile. AF is good, but connecting through CDG is a nightmare What's your favorite airport to transit? cheers
Can they hire staff for KLM Asia only flights? Is KLM Asia just a brand or legal entity? If so, they can maybe hire at a different rate for non-euro staff? Could keeping the brand be just about brand protection? It’s like In’n’out doing pop ups once a year in Japan just to maintain legal naming.
problems either reduced mobility?? there is a free service for that.. from gate to gate or from check in to gate. also there are many Walkalators in the terminals. so problems.. only if you want to see trouble 😀🤭
I would reach out to the European Commission (Transport department) about KLM Asia as it appears this is a non-EU registered entity but KLM is not necessarily being transparent about what it means to its customers. For example. we often see “operated by X airline” on codeshare flights for transparency reasons so maybe KLM needs to be more transparent if KLM Asia is a subsidiary. I know the onboard service is the same but the point is about transparency under EU law. By taking a KLM Asia flight, am I flying a China registered airline?
It's for tax reasons. The KLM Asia subsidiary can still use Dutch registered plane but revenue from business ops are under the Asia subsidiary;s corporate financial statement. And Netherlands won't charge you twice if you already paid a lower tax rate in another country for a foreign registered company.
Isn't the continuation of KLM Asia tied to airspace rights to overfly across China? Serving a destination within and outside. Cathay Pacific had this problem and relied on Dragonair/Cathay Dragon to provide mainland feed to HKG. Now is not the case anymore but it was discontinued not so long ago. Perhaps a quota of their fleet appearing must be Asia branded to satisfy one of the parties?
Hi David, nice work! Glad that you go to my hometown of Shanghai, and your extensive research of KLM Asia (especially when the previous article by simple flying is wrong :)). Besides, I am pretty impressed by your understanding about Chinese culture such as the number 8 in the flight numbers (which I don't know previously), and your knowledge about the 88 resembling 囍, which I don't know either. Thank you for your nice work and efforts, and wish you had a good time in Shanghai (mega-city in your words)! By the way, I echo your thoughts on non-alcoholic heineken!
i was just in Schipol in february connecting Delta to Cityhopper and i found it pretty painless. then again we where in at 6am. so that could be the reason why. Also we flew on CityHopper to LCY and 1 agree with you 100% about the legroom. i am 6ft 6 (182 cm and the main reason i like your videos as we are almost the same height).
Is it possible that when KLM decided on the new livery, they just repainted the airplanes where there was actual change in livery (i.e. the lower half of the airplanes) and did not touch those parts of the airplane where there wasn't any change in livery (i.e. the upper half)? To me this seems to be the only reason why KLM Asia brand is retained.
I see you met with our Dutch way of working style. The rule is simple: work as less as possible, use anything that makes your work easier. It isn’t important if that makes your work low quality, wrong or etc. As long as it isn’t terrible, defend your work to death 😂😂😂 I think KLM Asia exists because it makes KLM looks a bit more global. Like “big in Asia” so to say. This is only a speculation of course. Another Dutch thing to know: do not seek too much of meaning behind things 😂
I feel the reason why they keep the KLM ASIA Branding is in the event China or Taiwan does not allow any foreign airlines to fly in, KLM ASIA can operate like it is as its made for the China and Taiwan market anyways.
Aside past geopolitical issues, Maybe KLM Asia crews have different salaries? You know many airlines create subsidiaries to lower costs. Otherwise I don’t see the point.
No transit visa is required for passengers transiting through the following Schengen countries provided that they are the one and only stop in the Schengen area: Netherlands, France, Switzerland....Paris, Amsterdam, Geneva, Zurich airports
I wasn't aware of the separate entities. About 7 years ago on a flight from Amsterdam to Chicago, they substituted an Asia 747 for the original aircraft. I made a comment to a fellow traveler about hoping we were not served sushi. We weren't. Actually, it appears you were served standard KLM long-haul fare, which hasn't changed for years. (American Airlines has Asian options on trans-Pacific flights into China, but not into Tokyo. I guess the Japanese are seen as adaptable?)
I live in switzerland and for business reasons I fly two to three times a month with AF -KLM to Lima and Santiago de Chile since 2008. always business class. AF is a nightmare as far as service and luggage delays and KLM is very poor with their monotonous horrible food. However , I must admit that KLM is efficient with punctuality . I recommend LATAM and or Delta.
Is it maybe possible for you guys to review KLM’s new premium comfort class? Also more premium economy videos? Thank you very much and kudos for the excellent content 🎉❤
I wouldn't transit through Schiphol either by choice. I once missed my connection from Manchester to Hong Kong. They rerouted me through KL and I was about 9 hours delayed and no luggage at arrival. It wasn't their fault, and the flights were fine.
I also rode a KLM Asia 747-400 to Manila via Taipei, it was supposed to be a 777-200ER but due to the technical issues I was lucky that they chose the 747 as their substitute aircraft. Flight no. 807
They kept the KLM Asia so that they can bait Simply Aviation to make a brutally honest video on it 😃🎉
A diss video LOL 😂
He got triggered over this. The same way I got triggered over how he pronounced the city he originated from "Graz" as it sounds more like "Gerät" or something like that. And I have noticed he likes to pronounce "Danke schön" like "Doinkeh-shen". 🤣
The employees probably don’t know themselves why KLM Asia exists and just googled it after you emailed them 😂
Haha😅
😂😂😂😂 the final destination of KL807/808 the main KLM Asia route route is MNL T1 which makes the crew being Dutch/Flemish Taiwanese and Filipino. Do KL808 back to AMS there's some going to JFK KL643 KL619/618 BOS for PVD. Although KE has the shorter layover via ICN from MNL for BOS
I can confirm by a fact that Latin Americans really, really like KLM (and Air France also) because it allows them to connect to the rest of the world without a hassle, mainly because transiting via AMS DOES NOT require a visa compared to doing so via the US (which only Chileans can go without lengthy formalities due to visa waivers). KL/AF networks are vast enough to allow them to go pretty much everywhere, and at reasonable prices as well!
(Side note: the SCL-EZE fifth freedom flight is also heavily used because KLM offers fantastic full-service fares that are often cheaper than low cost airlines like JetSmart and SKY, and those are as basic as you can get...)
Great video, David!
Yup. Transit at AMS is rough, but is less complicated than LHR, CDG or FRA. I wish they could add travelators between the two terminals.
you dont need a visa transiting anywhere other than US and Canada
@@odzergaming, that is indeed true for most Latin American nationalities at all *MAJOR* connection hubs outside the US and Canada that I can think of, but sometimes a few routes may lead them to some more unusual connecting airports that may require visas. For example, Aeromexico sometimes offers fares attractive enough to tempt passengers from Latin America to Europe to make a long detour through Mexico City, and Mexico now requires a visa for Brazilians and a few other Latin American nationalities (waived if the person has a valid visa for the US or Canada).
@@Nadia1989 For an airport its size Schiphols transfers are so easy. As you said compare it to same sized airports like LHR or FRA lol
Chileans have no issues taking advantage of US/CA hubs thanks to ESTA and eTA waivers. I've used LAX and SFO a few times already because of said lack of formalities.
The rest of LATAM has it more complicated though. As insane as it sounds, people from there do fly to New Zealand if they need to reach Asia. Same thing goes for DXB or DOH: no formalities.
The tradition has always been going via AMS, CDG or FRA though.
I really feel the opposite from you about Schiphol. I love that it is all one terminal, that you don't have to transfer with a bus or train to go to different ones. It is also very easy to navigate, impossible to get lost.
A walk is very welcome in between 2 flights.
Schiphol had huge issues with security / passport lines right after covid, but those times are luckily long gone.
Полностью согласен, это тоже мой самый любимый аэропорт для пересадки и транзита в Европе, это очень удобный аэропорт
Same here, connecting via AMS is really easy.
KLM crews have always been very kind and friendly in my flights with them. I've had better experiences with some other airlines, but overall I feel like KLM is one of the most consistent in terms of service quality.
Graz is Arnold Schwarzenegger's hometown. When departing, remember to tell airport staff "I'll be back."
😂
Alternatively, if you’re cutting it close: “RUN! GET TO THE CHOPPA!”
Grazer here!
it´s not direct graz, it´s thal, a little town near graz
KLM Asia seems more like a livery than an actual branding, since the plane at timestamp 9:26 also recently flew to non Asia routes like Guayaquil and Quito
You are correct also the Eastern United States Amsterdam to JFK and Boston Logan. For the KLM Asia flight to Taipei it's actually going to Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport
I'm surprised you dislike layovers in AMS. To me, the single terminal concept makes transferring a whole lot more convienient, compared to let's say CDG or FRA.
im at cdg rn lol bout to board a aa 787 to dfw
I disagree FRA is far more easy and quicker than AMS.
@@paulm.westerduin64 well, I do not know why you have such problems. I did not have all those you said.
What about istanbul
@@paulm.westerduin64 oh
Yeah, you can see both regular KLM and Asia flying both China and Taiwan today. The only possible answer I can think of is that KLM wants to keep the brand to stay on good terms with China. Currently, KLM is actually the only European airline flying to Taiwan. Maybe that plays a role in them keeping the brand to not upset China. Even though China isn't making a big of a deal about it anymore.
Funny enough, you mentioned the fleet of KLM Asia here 12:23 consisting of 9 B777. It's actually 8 now. One of the Boeing 777-300ER (PH-BVC) has been repainted to the regular KLM livery a few months ago. Maybe they're finally starting to drop the brand.
I think that was a reason for it indeed. To keep the KLM and KLM Asia fleet seperated with the China and Taiwan conflict. With this ''new'' company they can still fly to Taiwan and China.
Excellent reply. 100% on point 🙏🙏
Turkish Airlines fly to TPE as well (although that’s an Asian/European mix?
Flying to both China and Taiwan as the only European airline is exactly the reason why KLM Asia exists.
So it was PH BVC that had KLM ASIA before? I knew it, I was wondering why it had regular livery
The only thing I can really get behind regarding the livery is that it protects the "KLM Asia" brand just in case they ever need it again or want to use it for some reason. :)
I mean with the rising tension between China and Taiwan these days, this might be a smart move
Related: the Dutch are too cheap (or, if you prefer, too starved for resources by Paris...) to spend the money to retire KLM Asia.
That’s what I think. They are just protecting themselves from possible geopolitical problems between China and Taiwan.
I would guess that KLM is simply choosing to be prepared for China and Taiwan once again reverting to the tense situation that existed before. It’s a contingency plan. That it hasn’t happened in 20 years is no proof of a failing plan. It’s not like China and Taiwan have resolved their issues, or likely will anytime soon.
@@technl75As a Taiwanese, I don’t think the issue between Taiwan and China will never be solved in my lifetime.😢
As a Chinese, David really research on the Chinese culture on numbers, and traditional Chinese characters, I don't expect that!
86 is a lucky number in China too I heard, with '8' (八) sounding like the word for 'prosperity' (发/發) & '6' (六) sounding like the word for 'flow' (流) in Mandarin. It's also the country code for mainland China/the PRC. Maybe not a co-incidence. SIA also has its flight numbers for routes serving greater China starting with '8' e.g. SQ872 & 890 for SIN-HKG
86 is the Chinese phone code as well, no? +86
I think he speaks Mandarin pretty perfectly. Heard him pronounce some Chinese radish or something. He never told us when and why he learned it (so perfectly). Would be really interesting.
@@florianpelin Yup
hes not American he isn't indoctrinated to hate China. Good on him to show the respect.
15:06 The nightmare of all passengers... That crying baby.
Correction: I heard 2 and maybe a bit later N°3 joined in😅😅😅
You cried when you were a baby
@@JUVI9596as far as I remember, I did never cry .
It’s crazy how something so commonplace can still be annoying every time somehow
@@woutergijs5246 if you say so
I recently asked klm why there still is an Asia devision. They told me that the crown in the logo is the issue for some countries.
It was for countries like Thailand where they are not allowed to show the crown. But these aircraft fly all over the world, also to NA for example.
lol definitely not a problem for sino, they prob just want to keep it as a tradition
😂 haha... likely story! It sounds good, but it doesn't figure. I wonder which countries they meant? I guess one of them could have been China but the others???
The crown in the KLM logo is simply a reflection of the airline's name KLM, the acronym for "Koninklijk Luchtvaart Maatschappij" (or "Royal Airtravel Company" in English). Those un-named countries object to the logo but not to the "Royal" in KLM's name? Unlikely. It is similar to the English tradition of the King or Queen granting companies by Appointment the right to use "Royal" in their name. In the UK there are many, even jars of marmalade have Royal and a Crown logo. The Royal connection occurs in other airlines, such as Morocco's and Jordan's national airlines. Even in Asia, Royal Brunei Airlines and Royal Nepal etc are not bothered by these un-named countries.
Why is KLM and the Dutch Crown singled out? British Airways which carries the Royal Mail, shamelessly shows the British Crown in the logo of the Royal Mail on the fuselage of their aeroplanes but that's not a problem. Why? 😂😱
So I think those people at KLM were fobbing you off with a slick but unlikely & inconsistent explanation 🧐. Why would these un-named countries they told you about object only to the Dutch Crown?
@@whyteaz1165it was for countries like Thailand that don’t allow the display of crowns other then their royal stuff
Not a problem in China. Crowns and symbols resembling monarchy are okay, so long as China diplomatically recognize the corresponding country, i.e. Dutch, UK, Thailand, or even post-WW Japanese monarchs. But not from states that China doesn't recognize, namely Vatican city.
@@sinaasappelflapso Thailand banned Royal Brunei Airlines, and Royal Nepal Air flying in from neighbouring Nepal, and also British Airways aircraft which flagrantly display the British Crown in the Royal Mail logo on their fuselages?? I think not.
And which other countries "like Thailand" do you mean?
can we talk about how beautiful the KLM livery looks ok the 777 ?
I think cuz of the Delft blue color
My favourite KLM livery is the 787-10
Although 777 looks beautiful too
And the Boeing 747 'Queen of the Skies' looked splendid with this livery.
The blue (often called "KLM Blue" here) is unique, and is as Dutch as clogs & tulips!
Someone here commented that it reminds of blue in traditional Delft Blauw pottery. I think so too. But I live in Amsterdam, and here KLM blue is the sky colour and the gentle sunlight quality are unique in NL, even commented on by artists like Rembrandt and Vermeer. When I'm overseas and missing 'home', that blue on the KLM plane at the airport touches my heart again .."Ah! Thuis! ❤️ I'm going 'home".
Any blue 777 looks good. Say the Korean air 777. It looked very nice. I just flew on one
I think they still keep it, simply for fun and also incase something like what happened in the 1990's happens again they will be fine
The 'generous' legroom is to accommodate the tall Dutchies!
i didn't know Dutch people are generally tall
I'm a short man at 1.67 m or 5'6". I've never been in the Netherlands or flown on KLM, and I guess I would be considered even shorter there. But I did fly on the MD-11 in another airline and route, and as you know, KLM was the last airline to fly that type of plane in passenger service. At the time of my flight, KLM actually had a large fleet of them, and as an aviation buff, I knew that fact. And while I mostly enjoyed the MD-11 experience, I couldn't reach the luggage racks, they were too high for me (the MD-11 was the only aircraft type where this happened). I thought that there must have been some Dutch designers at McDonnell-Douglas, and that the plane being designed for tall people was probably one of the reasons why KLM liked it so much... 😂
@@goytabr the average height in the Netherlands are 183 cms (6'0) for men and 170 cms (5'7) for women.
@@M_Aviation1 I’m 180cm (5’10?) as a girl and not considered that tall here 💀
@@Nicky_TM are you dutch?
I live near MSP and every now and then a KLM 777 with the KLM Asia livery shows up here. Always fun to see but I remember being so confused about it when I saw it for the first time.
10:29 It seems that KLM Asia painted aircrafts were mixed with others KLM aircrafts in 2000s. I took a KLM flight AMS-GRU with B747 combi in KLM Asia paint. Also, KLM Asia B747s were sighted in Japan.
According to the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK), there is no KLM Asia (anymore?). There is only KLM (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. KVK 33014286) , KLM Cargo (KVK 33014286) and KLM Cityhopper B.V. (KVK 34035358)
If it's still there it's probably registered in a different country. You won't find that information at the KvK.
@@thofstee I would expect it to be registered in the Netherlands or France, but neither has any results. Doesn't seem logical to me that it is registered in a completely different country, but am no expert in that
@@Ouchie KLM Asia had at least in the past been incorporated in Taiwan.
@@LeviRamsey It is also not listed in their Subsidiaries list in their anual report 2023 (KLM-Annual-Report_2023.pdf page 230). So I think it doesn't exist anymore and just kept the name on their aircraft livery
Its registerd in honkong
I have an idea about a tripreport. I am very curious about the Corendon a350 with the adult only section. Is it worth it on a 9 hour flight from Amsterdam to Curaçao? Or is it just a gimmick.
Is it like OnlyFans?
I actually saw a KLM 777-200ER taking off from my home town of Minneapolis about a week ago now. Watching this video and seeing that plane's registration, I believe Simply Aviation flew on the same aircraft I saw.
the way he pronounced the south amercain citys was just amazing shows how much respect david shows for other places
OMG HE HEARTED MY COMMENT NICE
You said it well the Koninklijke luchtvaart maatschappij, pretty good 🇳🇱
Which is still hard for me to pronounce, even if my Dutch is decent
Going from Amsterdam via Taiwan to Manila in January with KLM on their Boing 777-200. 16 hours in economy class. Looking forward to that. Thanks for the video 👌
Just a small clarification for the title: PH-BQK was delivered to KLM in 2005. So it is nearing two decades old now!
Assigned to economy comfort seats for free if requested at checkin counter? Thanks for the advice! Actually these seats also recline, the old ones all did and economy, and in comfort even further
It is a Dutch airline. The Dutch love apples and apple products. I grew up with apple juice and apple pastries and products like apple crumble for dessert. Still love all of these. This helps make it Dutch to me. Just wish one got the little delft bottles in economy though.
Considering how spot on you were on the pronunciations @ 20:52 I'm fairly confident you can pronounce Edmonton right. Not once but twice if you wanna get nit picky. Not Edmont
In many years of flying, I have never seen anyone use the coat hook. I was once tempted to hang a small bag from it but realized it would have been more of an annoyance to the person next to me.
8:40 you forgot Singapore, while it is multi-ethnic, it is majority Chinese-speaking. KLM's flight numbers there are KL835 and KL836
All KLM flight numbers to the Far East Asia starts with 8 (809 to KUL- Jakarta), Africa with 5, North America 6, Latin America 7, Middle East 4.
Clever!
Respect to your research on KLM Asia and the figures😃
New ≠ state-of-the-art
Actually in economy class, old is usually MUCH better!!!
That's why BoA flights to Miami are popular. Old planes with comfy economy seats, and generous baggage allowance. 👍
Old isnt better, the ife barely works
Definitely agree in terms of seat material.
Just to add.
- There is a service for disabled ppl. You have to reqeust and they wil take you with a smal kart from one terminal to another one (saw that last year)
- Al the bleu and white colors are in resembalance of Delfts Blauw, a historic pottery.
I love flying with KLM and you video gave that feeling that i always have when i get on one of there planes. Home and adventure :)
You‘ve pointed it right. KLM used to be such a great airline. Since AF-KLM seems to be the french have the upper hand in that regard. Back in the 2000‘s I remember as a kid I could have taken the kids meal out after arrival. And that impression is still kept. AF-KLM should balance the offers as You mentioned. „Egalite“. KLM will always be in my heart as a former little flying dutch man.
Interesting video. I am an extremely frequent flier on both AF and KL long haul in Y and although I admit immediately that AF J is a league above KL, KL’s Y product is a league above AF. Yes AF serves a cheap champagne but how does it taste? I believe the wine in KL is of better quality, as is their whole catering. Cute little bag from AF but the content is of low quality, stale bread and processed foods.
Also, in general, the service is more personal on KL than AF in Y, plus I believe also that KL is more Dutch than AF is French. There are so many references to The Netherlands, for example the safety video that you refer to from AF but not KL.
I agree that serving 2 apple items is unfortunate but the product itself is totally different.
What airline serves hot towels in Y? It does cost a lot as you need crew to warm them up and serve which takes at least double, if not triple the time. And then they have to pick them up again. Not dfeasable in Y.
Good job with “Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij”😊😜 But the direct translating is actually “Royal Aviation Company”
SQ serves hot towels in Y
After seeing this video I’m confused. What was a KLM Asia airplane doing in Mexico City? Recently I saw a plane spotting video from MEX and there was one…
Are these KLM Asia planes leased? If so, it might something to do with their leasing agreement.
I work at AMS and I get what you're saying that it can be a long walk to your new gate. Although I saw you were pretty unlucky with your departure gate, being at the end of the E pier. It can indeed get insanely crowded in the waiting lounges.
I was at the Amsterdam Airport for Planespotting and actually saw the other KLM Asia plane that you showed, which was scheduled to fly to Somewhere in the US.
I flew in KLM ASIA from Lima to Amsterdam a few years ago. Amazing flight.
The klm asia is i think only an livery. These planes are also send to usa and latin america and africa. I have flown to taipei in a klm regular plane
11:51 😂
I’ve read somewhere on the internet that it’s just these liveries that are still in service, but I don’t remember where I read it and I also don’t know why these liveries are still around 🤷🏻♀️
What about the transfer in Frankfurt? Because the distance to be covered is certainly greater there, as I recently found out when trying to catch the return flight Cancun-Frankfurt-Poznan
Not sure about the Shanghai, Beijing and Taipei route. But the flight from AMS to HKG should be KL 887, while HKG to AMS is KL 888
Heyy, KLM is slowly changing the liveries at the moment, the PH-BVC has recently been painted in the normal livery.
That doesn't say anything.
I once flew a Continental Micronesia DC-10 from SFO to EWR. Maybe you could do a video on why the was a KLMuk.
If you like small Liège airports (LGG) is a good option. These are charter flights for Tui Belgium, with two flights a day during the summer season. No duty free or shop ;)
Is that Milky Chance at 7:28 on the right hand side?
Loved the use of “y’all” at 17:06.
David obviously linguistically talented. This video also featured Castillilan Spanish, Dutch (or Nederlandisch for purists) and his usual flawless English.
Can you make a video about Garuda Indonesia economy class?
14:39 Are those also compatible with an EU plug?
Yes, they are.
I'm impressed you used the conjunction of y'all when talking about the beer. There are few locations where that is very prevalent.
Are that Overwingbridges at Schiphol still in use??
I checked that when writing the script for this video, and unfortunately the final two are being dismantled this spring...
Thanks so much for explaining the reasons for using (and not using) certain numbers in flights to China! I appreciate the shared knowledge. I wonder if keeping the Asia livery has something to do with the history of kingdoms in Asia that could have triggered the removal of the crown?
You guys need to go to Belize and take a trip or two on the awesomeness that is Tropic Air
Could the Asia brand disappear when the A350s replace 777-200s? One of the -300ERs is now a regular KLM plane
Can you do Malaysia Airlines' new product offerings on the 737 MAX and A330neo soon? Great video as always! :D
Hehe, I flew exact same aircraft in December 2022 and it was a KLM Asia Plane (Reg PH-BQH) operating from AMS-BOM. They fly sometimes these aircraft to Asia and they look almost the same as a regular KLM Aircraft. Regardless, ther service is always great & crew is always friendly.
The 772's are the last planes that have been scheduled for the cabin refresh (incl. the addition of Premium Economy). They expect to finish within the coming months. It also seems you had one of the last non-refurbished aircraft.
The KLM Asia aircraft with nosename "Nahanni National Park" (registered PH-BQN) is still lingering in my mind tho. I glad had a chance to photographed him in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia back in 2018
Great review as always! I recently flew KLM for the first time back in April from Kuala Lumpur to Amsterdam and I was very impressed. That flight was also my very first flight on a 787 Dreamliner :) I would certainly fly with them again in the future. On that same trip in April I also flew with Air France for the first time and was just as impressed with their long haul Economy product. Air France's newest A350's have dimmable windows which was a surprise :) Looking forward to your upcoming reviews :)
Great video as always,
I am not a fan of transiting through AMS but is beats CDG by a mile.
AF is good, but connecting through CDG is a nightmare
What's your favorite airport to transit?
cheers
Can they hire staff for KLM Asia only flights? Is KLM Asia just a brand or legal entity? If so, they can maybe hire at a different rate for non-euro staff? Could keeping the brand be just about brand protection? It’s like In’n’out doing pop ups once a year in Japan just to maintain legal naming.
problems either reduced mobility??
there is a free service for that..
from gate to gate or from check in to gate.
also there are many Walkalators in the terminals.
so problems.. only if you want to see trouble 😀🤭
I always love walking through schiphol. Finding your gate there is a really fun adventure if you're not in a rush.
I would reach out to the European Commission (Transport department) about KLM Asia as it appears this is a non-EU registered entity but KLM is not necessarily being transparent about what it means to its customers. For example. we often see “operated by X airline” on codeshare flights for transparency reasons so maybe KLM needs to be more transparent if KLM Asia is a subsidiary. I know the onboard service is the same but the point is about transparency under EU law. By taking a KLM Asia flight, am I flying a China registered airline?
It's for tax reasons. The KLM Asia subsidiary can still use Dutch registered plane but revenue from business ops are under the Asia subsidiary;s corporate financial statement. And Netherlands won't charge you twice if you already paid a lower tax rate in another country for a foreign registered company.
Isn't the continuation of KLM Asia tied to airspace rights to overfly across China? Serving a destination within and outside. Cathay Pacific had this problem and relied on Dragonair/Cathay Dragon to provide mainland feed to HKG. Now is not the case anymore but it was discontinued not so long ago. Perhaps a quota of their fleet appearing must be Asia branded to satisfy one of the parties?
Hi David, nice work!
Glad that you go to my hometown of Shanghai, and your extensive research of KLM Asia (especially when the previous article by simple flying is wrong :)). Besides, I am pretty impressed by your understanding about Chinese culture such as the number 8 in the flight numbers (which I don't know previously), and your knowledge about the 88 resembling 囍, which I don't know either.
Thank you for your nice work and efforts, and wish you had a good time in Shanghai (mega-city in your words)! By the way, I echo your thoughts on non-alcoholic heineken!
i was just in Schipol in february connecting Delta to Cityhopper and i found it pretty painless. then again we where in at 6am. so that could be the reason why.
Also we flew on CityHopper to LCY and 1 agree with you 100% about the legroom. i am 6ft 6 (182 cm and the main reason i like your videos as we are almost the same height).
Hope David can discover VietJet Air too. I hope to see David's opinion about this low cost carrier compare to some other low cost carriers
I Love When Air Craft Have Personal Air Nozzles,I Love Schiphol Its So Easy To Navigate.Great Video And Info
Is it possible that when KLM decided on the new livery, they just repainted the airplanes where there was actual change in livery (i.e. the lower half of the airplanes) and did not touch those parts of the airplane where there wasn't any change in livery (i.e. the upper half)? To me this seems to be the only reason why KLM Asia brand is retained.
May I ask, is there always a Chinese speaking gate agent at Amsterdam Schiphol gates for flights to China?
00:48 where was your stop over? Ed Mon Ton ? Oh dear lol
Graz to Amsterdam route is not being continued, right?
Probably moving to their new CPH and ARN hubs.
KL807/808 Flight from AMS to MNL via TPE is not operated by Boeing triple sevens anymore. They switch to Boeing 787-9.
these videos are just so good to watch when you have hours of nothing to do keep it up
I'm just gonna play 20:55 over and over again in my dreams 😍
I took this flight between AMS and Shanghai and I loved every minute of it
Aside from KLM, other carriers used the "Asia" titles: Air France, British Airways, Swiss Air and Japan Airlines has done it back in the days.
They did repaint the KLM ASIA B773 PH-BVC into normal KLM scheme. So maybe the ASIA branding is coming to a stop? (I hope so...)
David & co, those kind of videos are SO EXCELLENT!!! ❤️
Which airport do you dislike transiting from more -- CDG or AMS?
I see you met with our Dutch way of working style. The rule is simple: work as less as possible, use anything that makes your work easier. It isn’t important if that makes your work low quality, wrong or etc. As long as it isn’t terrible, defend your work to death 😂😂😂 I think KLM Asia exists because it makes KLM looks a bit more global. Like “big in Asia” so to say. This is only a speculation of course. Another Dutch thing to know: do not seek too much of meaning behind things 😂
Broodje for life ahha
Two years ago I had to transit at Schiphol with a sprained ankle. Never again.
10:12 the shade!
I have seen some KLM asia planes at my hometown airport YYZ but departed to amsterdam why????
I feel the reason why they keep the KLM ASIA Branding is in the event China or Taiwan does not allow any foreign airlines to fly in, KLM ASIA can operate like it is as its made for the China and Taiwan market anyways.
For countries that rely so heavily on foreign trade, I doubt that will ever happen.
I’ve seen foreign airlines fly in china and Taiwan
@@Candy-wm4nc read the OP comment again
Aside past geopolitical issues, Maybe KLM Asia crews have different salaries? You know many airlines create subsidiaries to lower costs. Otherwise I don’t see the point.
Little mistake: Koninklijke Luchtvaartmaatschappij doesn't translate to Royal Dutch Airlines but simply to Royal Airlines.
Love the fun facts about 8!
No transit visa is required for passengers transiting through the following Schengen countries provided that they are the one and only stop in the Schengen area: Netherlands, France, Switzerland....Paris, Amsterdam, Geneva, Zurich airports
I wasn't aware of the separate entities. About 7 years ago on a flight from Amsterdam to Chicago, they substituted an Asia 747 for the original aircraft. I made a comment to a fellow traveler about hoping we were not served sushi. We weren't. Actually, it appears you were served standard KLM long-haul fare, which hasn't changed for years. (American Airlines has Asian options on trans-Pacific flights into China, but not into Tokyo. I guess the Japanese are seen as adaptable?)
I live in switzerland and for business reasons I fly two to three times a month with AF -KLM to Lima and Santiago de Chile since 2008. always business class. AF is a nightmare as far as service and luggage delays and KLM is very poor with their monotonous horrible food. However , I must admit that KLM is efficient with punctuality . I recommend LATAM and or Delta.
FYI: KL807's final destination is actually MNL....KL doesnt have 5th freedom rights on this route
klm is not the last to have an asia division and btw Alitalia used to also have one!
Is it maybe possible for you guys to review KLM’s new premium comfort class? Also more premium economy videos?
Thank you very much and kudos for the excellent content 🎉❤
I wouldn't transit through Schiphol either by choice. I once missed my connection from Manchester to Hong Kong. They rerouted me through KL and I was about 9 hours delayed and no luggage at arrival. It wasn't their fault, and the flights were fine.
I also rode a KLM Asia 747-400 to Manila via Taipei, it was supposed to be a 777-200ER but due to the technical issues I was lucky that they chose the 747 as their substitute aircraft. Flight no. 807