Can you remember the days of yore when two simple classes of air travel existed? First class and economy class which have evolved to a confusing array of classes and subclasses and for what reason? Most likely the unrelenting drive for airline company profits masked with some confusing moniker related to customer convenience.
You might in your younger years been like me where flying was a thrill. Then you flushed that out of your system and started looking for the big deals as a salute to the extinction of travel agents. Then perhaps you became a little older and creakier and became a victim of cramp trauma exacerbated by the other insults of economy air travel using the term “steerage” to lighten your humiliation at being treated secondarily to cattle on the way to slaughter in a transport truck.
Perhaps then for you that Peter Finch moment in the film “Network” when citizens shouted that they were mad as hell and not willing to take it anymore.
Having been crippled, yes actually crippled by the evil seat twist blunt force trauma I was relegated to a wheelchair to load me off an Air Canada flight from Athens to Toronto in 2022 so with that experience in mind I recently booked my Toronto to Thessaloniki flights on KLM’s Premium Comfort Class.
This upgraded economy class is a new growth segment of the airline industry catering to those no longer willing to enjoy the hard unpleasant reality of basic economy class. As an aside I remember once upon a time Air Canada calling economy class “Hospitality Class”. Do I hear you laughing?
What were some of the advantages of KLM’s Comfort Class?
Priority Check-In
Jump the masses and avoid the wait of check in. Weren’t we all supposed to have checked in on-line at home and then double checked in at some kiosk in the airport only to suffer a third check-in?
Priority Security Clearance
It is bad enough to remove everything covering your body (but your G-string) for your security check-in and the stress of waiting for that can be squashed by bypassing the wait or at least most of it. And you get your wallet and phone returned quicker too.
Priority Boarding and Deplaning
Yes, the class system is perpetuated again by upgraded economy by being the second group to be able to board and exit the plane. The crème de la crème are ahead of you. Yes, you will win the lottery and join the beautiful people in business class!
Avoid the Suffering of Continual Contortion
Having been a lawyer for many years I had given some thought about launching a global class action lawsuit against the IATA cabal on behalf of all economy class passengers for the physical and mental pain caused by scanty pitch between their seat and the seat they face. I have noticed over the years pitch is decreasing so where I had a decent pitch in the 1970’s my knees when travelling basic economy now are touching the seat ahead of me and if that seat reclines it squashes my knees and over a period on transatlantic flights it can develop into an injury to the knees and ankles. With KLM Comfort Class lean away dear passenger and I can exit the plane on my two feet instead of in a wheelchair.
Reduction of Claustrophobia
Upon boarding an Aegean Airways flight this week from Athens to Thessaloniki I gasped at what I saw upon entering the plane. Inhumane and cramped. It was so tight I had difficulty getting into and out of my seat and thank goodness I visited the WC just prior to boarding or might have been forced to leave a puddle on my seat. The aisle space had been narrowed to cram even more seats in. On my KLM flight to Amsterdam from Toronto I noticed reduced aisle space for basic economy class passengers. Are we down to every inch matters?
Larger Entertainment Screen
The KLM Premium Comfort screens are a few inches larger than those in basic economy.
Edible Food
I speak firsthand of Air Canada’s favourite food related phrase hurled upon its basic economy class passengers, “Dinner tonight is chicken or pasta” followed eight minutes later with “Sorry we’ve run out of chicken.”
In KLM Comfort Class you receive a menu with a set appetizer, side dish and a choice of three main courses and a set dessert. Breakfast is a three course one. As an example for my main I selected a marinated duck salad with arugula, watermelon, pomegranate cashew nuts topped with fresh basil, coriander and mint with hoisin sauce served cold. Get the idea? Throughout the flight 7 soft drinks, 3 juices, milk, tea, a white and red wine, a cava, four spirits, a cocktail and a beer are available. The wine was of poor quality and was in those mini plastic screwcap bottles. All beverages except for coffee and tea were served in glasses. On my last flight on basic economy with TAP Airlines Portugal my red wine was served in a waxed paper coffee cup. What class! What low class!
Avoidance of Tray Tyranny
Once you are done your meal in KLM Comfort Class trays were removed within 10 minutes. Air Canada has offered me waits for tray removal ranging from 30-40 minutes. Does a baby like sitting in its own poop for too long?
Does Upgraded Economy Cost That Much More?
Airfares can change by the minute and KLM was eager to promote its Premium Comfort Class and on some days, it was actually cheaper than basic economy. Note that on the second leg of my KLM flight from Amsterdam to Athens the only benefit over basic economy was early boarding and exiting.
Check out upgraded economy. You have nothing to lose and perhaps much to gain. Who wants to leave the airplane in a wheelchair even if you clear customs in a jiffy.
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