I’m live-blogging my SAS EuroBonus SkyTeam Million Mile challenge this week. Click here for background and route information.
I’ve got to hand it to KLM…I just love the Dutch carrier and I love the full service on short Fifth Freedom flights, as I experienced on my 787-9 flight from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta in economy class.
KLM 787-9 Economy Class: Full Service On 699-Mile Flight
The ticket was only $67 to fly from KUL to CGK, which was cheaper than what Garuda Indonesia or Malaysia Airlines were charging (more in line with what budget carriers Batik Air or AirAsia were charging). Fifth Freedom fights are a great way to enjoy a full-service carrier often at a discounted price since these legs are often not full.
I talked about trying to upgrade to business class, but it really was not a problem here because the flight was not full and we were invited to stretch out in Economy Comfort after my son got sick. The Economy Comfort seats have five centimeters of extra pitch and 4 centimeters of additional recline (the bulkhead seats have an immense amount of legroom).
No personal air vents, though, which always strikes me as a curious choice.
Although this was only a 699-mile flight and our flight time was less than 90 minutes, a full meal was served after takeoff. There was no choice, but the meal included a main course (a vegetarian dish that had a nice kick to it…perhaps someone can tell me what it is called) along with a side salad and a piece of cake.
Not only does this far exceed what you can expect on an intra-Eruope flight of the same length in economy class, but it’s even better than the boxed meals served in business class on flights in Europe.
Wi-Fi was available for purchase and seatback screens included hundreds of movies and TV shows, plus audio, games, and moving flight map.
Augustine’s health incident brought out the best in the KLM staff and the crew checked in on us often. Everyone was lovely onboard and to this day, I have never had a bad crew on KLM…the staff, which tends to be veteran, but very friendly.
It’s a shame this flight did not go on longer…
Is Batik Air a LCC? They offer a business class, and fly out of KLIA1.
I thought it was…maybe not?
Batik Air is a full service carrier set up by Lion Air which is an LCC.
So while several full service carriers have set up low cost subsidiaries, this is kind of the reverse where an LCC set up a full service subsidiary.
Technically Batik operates like a Hybrid, similar to how US domestic main cabin, luggage and food and beverage are not included, and the recent changes suggests even bottled water needs to be paid for. Though it’s seat pitch suggest more of a legacy carrier.
Not true, at least for domestic flights within Indonesia (we had one today). 20kg is automatically included, but this is standard in Indonesia. One water and a bread bun included, which wasn’t the case on Lion Air p
And Lion also has a ULCC subsidiary called Super Air Jet. Confused? Yup, so’s everybody!
The meal looks like a version of biryani?
Perhaps Aloo Gobi? (Potato and Cauliflower)
Yes, was potato and cauliflower (I know it looks like there is some meat in there, but there was not).
Looking forward to that Korean Air flight when I get home from work. Good job bringing us along on your journey.
When you come home from work , you will be going where? on KAL ?
My job. I just got home from work. It’s been 6 hrs. Matthew is probably in another country by now.
If you have to overnight in Jakarta, stay at the Park Hyatt. Ask chef Johan at the restaurant to whip up something special for Augustine, he’ll oblige.
This is exactly what I would have done had Augstine not made a recovery.
I’m guessing the dish is a Malaysian version of beef rendang, a slow-cooked dry curry deeply spiced with ginger,tumeric, kaffir lime and chilis.
It was a vegetarian meal. Good guess.