Flying Blue Frequent Flyers to Get Free KLM Drink and Snack
Flying Blue frequent flyers will continue to receive a free drink and snack on KLM flights, even as the airline is removing these for all other passengers.
KLM switches to buy-on-board
Earlier this week, KLM announced that it would get rid of free sandwiches, beer and wine in economy class on intra-European flights.
Instead, the Dutch airline will launch an entirely new catering concept on its European flights called Grand Café KLM, which will be introduced at the start of the winter schedule at the end of October.
As part of the new economy class catering concept, KLM will only hand out a small stroopwafel cookie and offer passengers a choice of coffee, tea, water or orange juice as complimentary drinks.
Any other drinks, including beer and wine, along with snacks or light meals, can be purchased from the buy-on-board menu, with healthy meals such as a poke bowl and Caesar salad available as pre-order options.
Free snack and drink remain available for frequent flyers
KLM’s decision to scrap its traditional free offer of a cheese sandwich and a drink, including beer or wine, follows several months of trials of different catering concepts.
When these concepts were tested on a select number of European flights, elite members of Flying Blue, the frequent flyer programme of Air France–KLM, were given the perk of getting one drink and one snack from the buy-on-board menu for free.
However, only Flying Blue Platinum and Ultimate members were given a free drink and snack.
Passengers with a lower Flying Blue status, as well as those with status in another SkyTeam frequent flyer programme, were not granted this perk.
According to Tiffany Funk, Director of Flying Blue, frequent flyers will continue to receive a free snack and drink when the new catering concept goes into effect in October.
Ms Funk said that she “can confirm Platinum, Platinum for Life and Ultimate members will receive a complimentary snack and beverage”.
An improvement for elites, but downgrade for others
The decision to give Flying Blue Platinum and Ultimate members a free choice of drink and snack from the buy-on-board menu will no doubt be welcomed by KLM’s most loyal frequent flyers.
In some ways, this will even be a massive improvement for them compared to the old economy class product, when they had no choice and were given the same sandwich as everyone else – a snack that not everyone was equally fond of.
However, this will be tough luck for those with a lower frequent flyer status, such as Flying Blue Gold and Silver, as well as for the majority of passengers who don’t have frequent flyer status.
Especially for Flying Blue Gold members, a status that gives you free access to business lounges, not being given a free drink and snack onboard KLM flights while those with a higher status get them must be jarring.
Of course, this is not helped by KLM’s marketing bosses saying that getting rid of free beer, wine and sandwiches is a move that will “strengthen the warm and hospitable experience” offered by the airline, a statement for which KLM was widely criticised and ridiculed in aviation and frequent flyer communities.
Conclusion
Although KLM will get rid of free sandwiches, beer and wine on its European economy class flights, Flying Blue frequent flyers will continue to receive a free drink and snack.
This will be the case for Flying Blue Platinum, Platinum for Life and Ultimate members, who will get a free pick from the new KLM buy-on-board menu that will debut at the end of October in economy class.
However, for Flying Blue Gold and Silver members, as well as elite members of other frequent flyer programmes and passengers without status, it means that the free sandwich, glass of wine or can of beer on intra-European KLM flights will be gone for good.
