After an evening flight from Prague and an overnight at the Hyatt Place AMS, it was time for my 11-hour KLM flight from Amsterdam to Los Angeles on the 787-10 in World Business Class. The flight was smooth, comfortable, but a little warm…

KLM 787-10 Business Class – My First Impressions

I’ve reviewed the KLM A330, 777, and 787-9 in business class and also the 787-10 in economy class, but this was my first time flying the 787-10 in business class. At the outset, I am thankful there was no aircraft swap, because the previous day, the AMS-LAX flight was swapped to a 777-300, which may have been an upgrade for most passengers (since those business class seats have doors), but I wanted to review the 787-10.

I arrived very early at AMS so I could sit in the Crown Club and get my work done in case of no internet on the flight. My preferred place in this lounge is upstairs in the corner by the outdoor terrace. That area is always quiet and there’s barista-made coffee available.

Boarding began about 45 minutes before departure…it was a beautiful morning in Amsterdam. Onboard, I settled into my business class seat for the 11-hour journey to Los Angeles.

Interestingly, I noticed the seat looked a bit tattered…at least cosmetically. The paint was chipped on the armrest and under the monitor and the (faux) leather shell around the seat was discolored.  Everything functioned, but it really looked like an old product even though my aircraft, PH-BKG, was only delivered five years ago.

The seat was a bit dirty too:

Lunch began after takeoff, with a refreshing amuse bouche (I don’t even know what it was, but the green thing was topped in a toasted walnut and was very nice) and a drink (I enjoyed “The Very High Fashioned” cocktail, a riff on an Old Fashioned).

I had chili shrimps with pickled watermelon and beetroot mousse and fresh watercress for my appetizer, followed by salmon à la Flamande with Hollandaise sauce for my main, served with white asparagus, scrambled eggs, and potatoes. The salmon filet was very small, but it was a good choice.

For dessert, cheese and a tart raspberry mousse topped with sunflower seeds, topped with passion fruit crumble.

I tried to sleep after lunch but the cabin was warm and there were no personal air vents. I did manage a few hours of sleep, but I would have loved to sleep eight hours…I just can’t seem to do that anymore (though maybe the two crotados in the lounge left me wired…).

The internet worked well on the flight (the flight pass was €18) and it turned out to be a very productive flight when it became clear I could not sleep.

I also managed one movie on the flight, an old Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey, and Morgan Freeman film called Seven. A little jarring, to say the least…

About 105 minutes before landing, a Caesar salad with pulled chicken, egg, tomatoes, Reypenaar cheese, and pine nuts was offered along with a side of pumpkin ravioli in cream artichoke sauce. A very nice pre-arrival meal.

As we approached LAX, the purser came around with Delft Blue Houses, the signature “souvenir” of KLM World Business Class. I was hoping for house 98, which was the parental home of Anthony Fokker in Haarlem (Fokker went on to become one of the world’s greatest aircraft builder in the late 1920’s with factories in the Netherlands and the USA) and I got it!

Then the lady in front of me did not want a house, so I asked if I could have hers and got a second one, 89.

I’ve now got 12 KLM houses in my collection!

It was a beautiful morning (yes, still morning) when we landed at LAX 11 hours later.

CONCLUSION

KLM offers a very average business class, which is to say a very solid business class. I enjoyed good service, good food, and a comfortable seat on the flight, though the lack of air vent and warm cabin made sleeping difficult. I like the 787-10 and look forward to flying KLM again.

In my full review, I will offer more details about the service, menu, amenity kits, lavatories, and IFE onboard.