Steptoe

Having recently returned with KLM to Amsterdam, I've been watching this departure; cancelled yesterday but departed today 8 minutes late but with an estimated flying time 2 hours longer than usual, so quite some diversion!

The BA fare from AMS is unbelievably cheap especially as Schipol is only a 40 min hop from my local airport; I did a check for random dates in November and got a price of £1280. However the flight to Schipol would cost me an additional £120 and as the teaser KLM prices for NWI to BKK are currently from £1719 it's a question whether the saving of around £300 would compensate for the additional travelling time and the hassle of having to deal with luggage at Schipol? I've been offered an upgrade a few times when checking in online and KLM's refurbished business class seats in the 777 use

No, I'm far enough away from Norrich to not hear the cheering (or groaning) from the Barclay end.

Annoyingly enough I can't now find a link or confirmation but I've recently read that there is a proposal to introduce a direct train service from Norwich to Stansted (rather than the current service which involves at least two changes) Whether this influenced Emirates or vice versa I've no idea but it will make Stansted more appealing as a departure airport for those of us living up in Norfolk (the other option is using Norwich airport via Schipol but this is fairly expensive)

Mention of toilet cubicles has reminded me of a flight years ago where the rear of the plane under the tail was fitted with a semi-circle of toilet cubicles, about five of them I recollect. The advantage was that they could all be easily accessed from either aisle, you could enter and leave with some degree of privacy (the mention of the mile-high club prompted this recollection!) and there were never any queues as there was always one free. I can't remember what airline or plane but it was a much better arrangement than nowadays, but then perhaps everything was.....

Oddly enough the ratio in business has remained the same (and indeed fractionally better) so perhaps the airline are sending out a message

While checking on pricing for AMS to BKK in January, I noticed that KLM's 777 300 V2 (which is presumably a reconfiguration from the V1 version) has 5 toilets in economy rather than the 9 as previously, the freed space being of course used for extra seating. I have flown this route for some years and it was commendable that there was rarely a queue for the toilets but I guess that happy state of affairs will now be no more. Anyhow, this has made me wonder if there is a statuary ratio of toilets to passengers laid down by the CAA or if it is down to individual airlines business acumen/g

In March, on arrival from BKK on the KLM flight, all passengers were required to go through security immediately on disembarkation. This was the first time this has happened, however the security area was brand new so I imagine that this is a new procedure which will continue. As mentioned by other posters, hold luggage was still checked through, however if you're at the back of the queue and have a short transit time (due to flight delays) this additional check might cause a problem. On the other hand there was no check at my connecting flight gate as previously so I guess it all balances

It is quite educational to read airline professional's opinions on ME airline's operating practices (PPRuNe Forums)

Other years I've had the check at the departure gate,however this year when I flew out on the 28th Feb I wasn't checked at all, hence my surprise at the check on arrival, as I've never come across this before. Does Heathrow also do security on arrival now? (not flown from there for some years)

On the way out my bag was only scanned at my departure airport (Norwich) and wasn't scanned again at Schipol, hence my surprise this time. i wonder if this is part of the general European response to the migrant/terrorist flow?

Thinking about a bit more, I did notice this (upstairs) security facility while wandering around the airport a couple of weeks ago when I had time to spare. It was deserted then, no staff or public in evidence, so perhaps it has just been been commissioned, It is state of the art with baskets magically appearing from under the counter to be loaded up & a twin track conveyor belt exiting the x-ray machines for searchable/non searchable bags. There is one full body scanner (possibly for the specific folks I mentioned above) and normal scanners for normal folk. I had to go through the

Yesterday evening when disembarking KL 0876 from BKK, I was surprised to have to go through a security check & scanner immediately on getting off the plane and from overheard comments it appears that this was also a surprise to the other passengers. Whether this is a new procedure or a one-off for this particular flight I've no idea but it would be as well to be aware of the possibility. For example I'm well aware of the rules but was caught out by having tucked one of the free bottles of water off the plane into my bag, expecting the check to be done just before departing on my connec

Lol regarding the above comments (perhaps that why I got a discount...) but note my terminology

I've only just seen this thread so my favourable comments in my current TR weren't prompted by you being a member of PT! However I will make a point requesting the strawberry vodka unless you spot me first! (I was the OAP sitting opposite you on Thursday night with the two most beautiful girls in the bar, so should be an easy identification lol)

My apologies, should have realised this as I do normally fly via Schipol from Norwich (though the cheap offer only applies from LHR) Singapore is also included in the offer if anyone wanted to go there.

KLM are having a two day sale (12/13 March) with LHR - BKK tickets from £399 in June; good price for a direct routing.

Ah-ha toilets, my bete noire at Swampy! All the ones I have visited (....naturally I'm only speaking about the gents..) have only three cubicles which is not enough considering what uses folks put them to apart from the obvious. It's not so bad in departures as one can wander down a quiet 'soi' on the airline lounges level (3/4?) in search of privacy but as for arrivals, for a sit-down job you may as well forget it and hang on for the hotel.

I Think I know it well....the D6 basement? In the end I made the connection fairly easily, though never had time to sit down.

After all the humming and haaing about upstairs/downstairs, about 24 hrs ago the seat plan was changed to a 777, lol. Coincidentally (or not) there is a 2 1/2 hour delay which also solves the query about whether I can access the lounge at AMS as I will be lucky to make my connection unless the pilot puts his foot down to catch up lost time

Thanks for quick reply. I once got a free upgrade upstairs years ago, can't now remember which airline, and I used to go Evergreen when Eva had these seats in the nose as the curvature meant they weren't crammed in as much as they are now, but for the last couple of years when I've bought the upgrade, KLM were using 777's on the route so upstairs wasn't really an option! Will go and study seat plan again......

KLM were using the same system i.e. online 'auction' for upgrade for the return leg with a starting bid of 339 euros i.e. this was their bottom price. I bid 389 euros this being about what they were offering the fixed price upgrade for on check-in for the last two years. I was almost the first in the queue this morning but sadly no mention of the upgrade tthough there were several business class seats available for a fixed price upgrade of 492 pounds (presumably now quoted in sterling as final destination was UK) This was a bit too much so eventually settled for another door exit r

Well I thought it funny....

Brilliant cynicisms

Having just checked in online, I can answer my own question, my bid wasn't high enough for an upgrade, though interestingly enough the business seats have suddenly appeared on the paid options list (along with economy comfort, exit row, and preferred seats) at a fixed price of 599 euros. I wasn't tempted at this price for the reasons Gus mentioned above, after all I might well find a better use for this £450 sometime in the next few days, lol, but as a compensation the 'free' exit row seats, i.e. the ones immediately adjacent to the door were now shown as available so I have changed my sea