Review of KLM Cityhopper flight from Amsterdam to Gdańsk in Economy

SYNOPSIS

Hello everyone,

Back to 2024 I had already wanted to visit Poland for a few months, and I planned to spend a few days in Gdansk by late May. I was also interested in Krakow, but I found myself any good deals to Gdansk with Skyteam.

BOOKING

Plane tickets are booked just one month only before departure. Since I stayed in Northern France at this time due to several fixed-term contracts, I was able to use either Paris CDG, Brussels, Lille, Charleroi as well as Amsterdam as home airports.

I eventually found some issues with KLM Cityhopper outbound Brussels-Zaventem Airport for the reasonable price of €164 with the Economy Light fare. I just needed to add ticket train price to position to Brussels.

This journey is a discovery on several points. First, because I was able to take some Embraer aircrafts for the first time, I've never flown it before. More exactly, the two outward flights were performed by the 175 model, and the two return flights were operated by Embraer 190s.
Then, I had also never flown KLM before, and so it was my first time transiting in Amsterdam SCHIPHOL Airport.

Also, I was going to ride one of the shortest ever commercial flights operated with a legacy carrier on the Brussels-Amsterdam route.

CHECK-IN

One day before departure I was able to perform my online check-in thanks to Air France app which is very easy and efficient, ans so I selected my seats for the two legs.

TRANSIT IN AMSTERDAM

I was just dropped off there at the B concourse by the bus shuttle from my flight inbound Brussels. Since I have a 3-hours to kill during my layover ahead my connecting flight to Gdańsk, I have the time to enjoy a breakfast in the terminal.

After going upstairs via the Escalator I'm searching for a place where I can have a breakfast and after a few minutes walking through the B-concourse corridors I easily grabbed a free table in this snack :

I quickly found a place and seated myself near the windows. As my breakfast this morning I ordered a cereal yoghurt with a croissant, one apple juice and one large coffee.

One hour and 30 minutes later, I had left one hour before my flight so I decided to go to the lavatory. The place was rather crowded, and it seemed the place lacked cleanliness :

Before my flight to Gdansk I managed to buy something to eat for my lunchtime so I went to the "Coffee to go" store. While going to the checkout I asked whether they had any bags to carry my purchases, but they replied that unfortunately they didn't have it.

After my purchase at the store I directly made my way to the gate B1 where my connection to GDN was scheduled.

Although it was my first time ever transiting in Schiphol, I can let myself be led by the signage and I easily find my way to go to the boarding gate.

Also, since my connecting flight was also operated on an Embraer, we needed to ride a bus to go to the plane. Therefore, our gate was located downstairs:

Our boarding area was very crowded at this time, so there was almost no seat available.

After I reached the boarding area my flight was scheduled with a 10 minutes delay, then shortly before 12.00 a.m boarding started for Skypriority passengers. My turn came just 2 minutes later and I scanned my boarding pass before proceeding to the bus shuttle.

The ride to the plane will last just 4 minutes. I easily grabbed a seat in the bus.

Just 6 minutes afterwards we're dropped off to our Embraer 175.

ABOUT THE AIRCRAFT

Our flight to Gdańsk will be operated by PH-EXR, a 6,7 years old Embraer 175 delivered to KLM Cityhopper in November 2017. Its first flight took place the 20 October 2017 just three weeks before its integration in the KLM Cityhopper fleet. It is powered with two General Electric CF34 engines and is configured for 88 passengers in a 2-2 configuration.

Door moment :

KL1305 FLIGHT - AMSTERDAM (AMS) TO GDAŃSK (GDN)

This flight is also operated by the same aircraft type like on my previous flight therefore the cabin is exactly the same. The seats are slim but I think it's not so uncomfortable for me.

Legroom is okay for this 2-hours-long flight.

Let's explore the seatback pocket content: safety card and sickness bag :

Some views on the cargo area :

As mentioned in the previous review the windows are large and I think the spacing between the windows is not so disturbing for me.

The PSU

The flights seems to be full today :

We pushed back at 12:26 :

During the taxiing towards the runway we have some nice views on the traffic:

Lining up and take off shortly after 12:30 :

While turning right we got some amazing views on the Dutch coastline:

We will fly along the coast for a large part of the flight :

Flying over the city of Harlem acrossed by the Spaarne river and flows into the North Sea Canal:

When flying along a coastline, we get always some beautiful sights:

Weather becomes cloudy but the views are still amazing:

Since I have anticipated the possibility that there would only be cheese sandwiches on board, I took out my purchases I got myself at Amsterdam Airport:

KLM is one of the few airlines in Europe to still offer a free inflight service for its Economy class passengers. It will be one small sandwich and a choice of beverages. I ordered one coffee:

Flying over the Dollart, a bay in northern Europe located on the Netherlands-Germany border near to Emden.

KLM still offers a paper onboard magazine, which is nowadays very rare in Europe.

Some photos of the galley at the rear of the aircraft:

Let's now have some time to explore the toilets. All is clean and well maintained.

Overall view of the cabin from the rear galley :

While getting back to my seat we're already flying over Northern Poland and we go along the Baltic coast.

We leave the Polish coastline and turn right towards Gdańsk. That's an indication that we're landing soon.

Touched down at 1:54 p.m. at Gdańsk airport:

The low cost airlines represent the majority of the traffic at Gdańsk airport with several Ryanair and Wizz Air aircrafts. But here, we can also see a ASL Airlines Boeing 737.

We're parked at a connected gate at 1:58 p.m. and all passengers are allowed to leave their seats.

GDANSK AIRPORT

Let's take a last sight of our today's Embraer 175 :

It is very easy to find your way at Gdańsk airport, signage is very clear:

Since I didn't have any luggage to collect at the luggage belts I could head straight to the exit but first I had to make a stop at the restrooms:

The Gdańsk Airport's departures hall, like in several others airports in Poland, is very luminous and modern. I really like its architecture :

To reach Gdansk city center, you can use the Airport's railway station to ride a train. But sadly there is no direct train line to city center you need to connect by bus at Gdansk Wrzeszcz.

To head to the railway station you can go upstairs an Escalator to then walk through a walkway connected to the station to avoid car traffic outside.