bellman

I'm looking to cash in some skymiles and have found a great deal in business class. I'm flying Detroit to Amsterdam to Milan. My problem is that I arrive in Amsterdam at 5:55 and leave for Milan at 6:55.

If this helps I'm flying Norhwest DET-AMS and KLM AMS-Milan.

I've got the itinerary on hold while I decide if I want to book. Any advice would be appreciated.

travelgourmet

I think you can make it. AMS is pretty darn efficient. You won't have a lot of time, but you should have enough.

More importantly, there are plenty of other flights on to Milan later in the day, so you should have plenty of options in the case of a missed connection.

suze

The trick is always if your incoming flight arrives and deplanes on time. Doesn't matter the airport. If you circle or sit on the tarmac for 1/2 hour incoming, that messes things up. In a perfect world, you'd make it.

LoveItaly

Hello bellman, AMS is sure a user friendly airport but one hour would between flights would leave me concerned. Travelgourmet said there are later flights to Milan. Can you use your skymiles to get on a later flight? Or, if you don't make your 6:55p.m. flight to Milan will you be able to fly business class to Milan on a later flight or do you know? It is not that long of a flight but still..that is something I would want to know. Perhaps you should call and ask. Best regards.

AJPeabody

If the Northwest flight to Amsterdam is late and you miss your flight to Milan, does KLM have any obligation to you, or is the missed flight to Milan a loss and you're stuck in Amsterdam without a valid ticket onwards?

LoveItaly

NWA and KLM have been partners and I haven't heard that is no longer true so I would imagine that bellman has one ticket that is for Detroit to Milan with the change of planes at AMS. But I would sure call regarding the BC situation if the it is not possible to take the scheduled KLM flight from AMS to Milan due to the NWA flight not arriving at AMS in time to do so.

rkkwan

DL/NW is as close a partner to AF/KL as ever. They operate many of the trans-Atlantic routes as joint ventures.

travelgourmet

There is no reason to worry about whether you will be in business class for the AMS to Milan leg. KLM business class is almost exactly the same as KLM economy for short-haul flights. The only difference is that you sit in the front of the plane and get a different meal. It is still 3x3 seating and the seat pitch is pretty much the same.

LoveItaly

Well when I have flown on KLM's City Hopper from AMS to Venice their BC sure has been a lot nicer then economy. Very few passengers, bigger seats etc.

travelgourmet

LoveItaly - When was this? I fly KLM at least 15-20 times per year and have not seen any difference in seating at any time in the last 3 years. This is on both the 737s (3x3, just like coach) and the Fokkers (2x3, just like coach) that they use for CityHopper. Moreover, there is nothing on KLM's own website to indicate any difference in either the seats or their configuration. All the advantages of Europe Select (lounge access, preferred security, extra mileage, priority boarding, extra and expedited baggage) are on the ground, with the exception of the upgraded meal, which is sometimes no more appetizing than what is served in the back.

At times, certainly, it can be less crowded, but I have also seen every seat occupied, including middle seats, which I have personally sat in when flying Europe Select. Remember that the only divider between coach and Europe Select is a moveable curtain. If the flight is full in one cabin or the other, they can simply move the curtain forward or backward and fill every seat, though they are sometimes too lazy to do even this and will simply "upgrade" passengers.

Patty

My experience on KLM Europe Select has been the same as travelgourmet. The middle seat is not blocked and I couldn't distinguish the seating from coach.

Barring some unusual circumstance, the OP will be reaccommodated in business (not that it matters) on a later flight if there's a misconnect.