Review of KLM flight from Istanbul to Amsterdam in Business

My first paid upgrade

Hello all and welcome to this next episode coming back from a town nicknamed the Queen of Towns.

Miles flying blue claimed: 1362
XP points earned: 8 (AF/KL was offering 50% more XP in 2022)

I published already a few pictures from this town, but never from the Bosphorus, which is now done!
On the background the sultahmet and Hagia Sophia (holy wisdom) and the far rght the very famous Topkapi palace.

The ferry I took was leaving from the shores of Anatolia

Prince islands (Byzantine princes)

The whole return journey with Turkish Airlines was just €20 more expensive, but half of the trip was to be operated in a Boeing 737Max9 , and no offence but I am not sure how much we could trust the Boeing validation team.. 

I am about to checkin when I realise how cheap the upgrade is (usually AF/Kl asks for around €300).

I quikcly use my credit card followed by "YoLO" not to feel guity! 

Here is our new boarding pass.

KLM has 31 B738 on its fleet, all of them equiped with 176 seats, which is more or less on the average legroom.

at istanbul new airport

We booked our cab from our hotel, and the cab is quite reliable, no scam which is rare enough to go unnoticed.

Like most airports, checkin hall is on the top floor, but, again, unlike many airport, IST is just huge.

Security is everywhere, you can't access to the checkin hall without a boarding pass. 

Checkin happened very quickly from the SP lane.

I wonder if these openings on the celing were designed to cast lights like crescent moon 

We didn't spend any money, just went straight to the Skyteam Lounge.

istanbul skyteam lounge

Lounge is very easy to find, just on the top floor next to the D gates concourse.

The staff at desk is super friendly and prompt to crack some jokes.

Not sure about this "zen" garden.

The lounge features a variety of different spaces, like the bar, working area, TV area, and just chilling area.

The lounge isn't huge but offers quite a good selection of food - including food on demand.

Mezze buffet. - I am a buffet guy!

In terms of liquids, the selection is less impressive unfortunately.

I go to the showers - always nice and helps to relax before a connecting fligt.

I ask the lady to have the key she told Yes of Course but showers are just for one person at a time - maybe I have been a bit too demonstrative with my partner eheh 

Nothing really special but it is clean, and with a few toileteries.

Back from my shower, my partner already ordered a second round - we have plenty of time to even start drinking some more wine!

Like the turkish tea cup!

We talk and wonder around the airport and when we randomly look at the FIDS our flight is displayed as "last call"! So please forgive me but I didn't have time for a traditional fuselage shot as I was running my *** off!

The KLM manager at the gate even called me on my mobile phone, I have never seen that before, a really nice touch. 

onboard the B737-800

The business cabin (by european standards!) is almost empty, I swapped my 2C seat for the 3A to have the window for take off! 

Aircraft: Boeing 737-8K2
Tail number: PH-BCH
Engines: 2x CFM56
Age: 2 years old
Layout: Y168
Comment: The before last B737-800 ever built by Boeing.
Named Nightjar / Nachtzwaluw  

The seats are somewhat a mix betwenn the Lufthansa's NEK in terms of narrow thickness and Air France for the Head rest, USB plug and other gadgets.

Ready to push back on time.

The seat, just like the seats on the Air France A220, feature this small tray to be used for tablets - some sort of Bring Your Own IFE thin

Unlike Air France, KLM does offer a larger legroom for the first rows.

Headrest are movable and with the KLM logo 

Reclining angle is not the best.

The safety card - soon to be an thing from the past as the airline has recently announced that they will move the A32XNeo family.

Just in case you wonder who is running the show here!

I keep saying that the airport is huge and with reason: we were taxing for a solid 15 min..

And ready for take off!

A last view on the Bosphorus, before the "new world" was (re)discovered, this place was one of the wealthiest on Earth. It is indeed ideally located for whoever wants to manage trade between the "eastern" and "western" world.
And I am pretty sure that is also the reason why the city was taken over so many times! 

The crew is actively preparing our meal..

The service starts with a classic found on Japanese restaurants : お絞り 
Which came in handy after our race to the boarding gate!

If you ever wonder how I look like: here is a live and serious grabbing of the well deserved nuts that come with the bubbly booze!

The crew asked me what would tickle my fancy in terms of drinks.
How to reply to such a question. What is the rationale? Based on the menu? Is it going to be a cultural choice? Emotional? Playful?

I remembered that the Gin was first created by the Dutch (not the Brits) so I ask her for one, but her personal recommandation is to go for sparkling wine.

Fine, I will oblige. I cannot possibly be rude and refuse!
She will also bring me the Gin Tonic I asked for later on.

For once, my partner couldn't drink alcool, so he joined me in my bubbles mood with that world famous Atlanta sparkling reserve grand cru drink!

The purser hands out the menu and starts a nice chat with us.

We are discussing about the A32XNeo fleet soon replacing the B738, I told her that it makes sense for both AF and KL to harmonize their fleet -  she couldn't agree more and she adds that she finds it odd that AF hasn't placed a single Neo order and starts receiving A220

Touché! 

There is also a drinks menu

Since Covid - I was told - KLM has switched to boxed meal.

The box isn't the best presentation at all but actually it was tasty and very filling.
KLM even planned for an additional sandwich on the side of the box, given the flight duration - a nice plus.
There were two pieces of warm bread, as well the dessert that was warm. 

So it is nice to see that KLM uses their onboard hoven for medium haul flights, unlike Air France.

I asked to try the red wine to go with the meal, our cabin crew told me that both of them were French, and so I might has well have both!
Why not, we have some time right!

The only thing that I found disappointing was the cutlery made of bamboo. 

The night falls quickly.

The crew was constantly looking after us, and while my partner was sleeping, I indulged myself with some herbal tea and Cognac.

Clearly KLM likes the color Blue!

Happy to find an onboard magazine, I have been consistantly reviewing them on all my FR - well almost all - if it wasn't for Covid.

The last word of the - now retired - boss.

The magic Vermeer painting.

and my favorite page in any onboard magazine.

In terms of enternment, KLM doesn't have a press application like Air France, but the Wifi is free for messaging services and features a few things like the information on connecting flights, a flight game…

The game…

Somewhere over Germany…

at amsterdam - schipol airport

We landed at the E4 gate, which sadly doesn't have any view on the plane.

See you at the next episode!