KLM World Business Class on the Boeing 787-10 [BOG to AMS]

Airline: KLM (KL)
Aircraft: Boeing 787-10
Flight #: KL749
Route: Bogotá (BOG) to Amsterdam (AMS) via Cartagena (CTG)
Date: April 9, 2024
Duration: 11 hours, 20 minutes
Cabin and Layout: KLM World Business Class, 1-2-1
Seat: 1K
Cost: $2,049 (outbound London to Paris to Bogotá, inbound Bogotá to Amsterdam to London)

After having the best time celebrating my friends tying the knot in Colombia, it was time to head back to home to London. Even though I was sad to say goodbye to Colombia, the fact that I’d be flying KLM’s long-haul business class for the first time meant I was looking forward to the flight itself.

Not only that, but it would be aboard one of the airline’s Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners — a relatively new aircraft compared to the airline’s workhorse Boeing 777s.

The outbound leg with Air France was a pretty solid experience, so I was eager to see how its sister airline, KLM, would compare.

Booking KLM Business Class

I booked a very reasonably priced round-trip deal for £1,638 (about $2,049) through Air France’s website.

Granted, $2,049 is by no means cheap, but this was only around $1,000 more than a nonstop, round-trip ticket from London to Bogotá with Avianca — an airline that features in my bottom 3 for sure.

I used my U.K. version of the Platinum Card^® from American Express, which earned me a measly 1 Membership Rewards point for each £1 I spent. If I’d been able to use the U.S. version, I’d have enjoyed a whopping 5 Membership Rewards points per $1 spent (up to $500,000 per calendar year, then 1x).

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KLM is one of a few airlines that now unbundles its business class fares. Some would say this gives passengers the choice to tailor their experience, but I would say it’s a low-cost airline’s way of nickel-and-diming passengers for what is already a very expensive ticket.

That said, even though I booked the Business Light fare, I was able to choose my seat and use the lounges on my trip thanks to having top-tier Platinum status with Air France.

Bogotá El Dorado International Airport

As much as I prefer to use public transport to get to and from airports, I always use Uber in Bogotá, as it’s just far quicker and easier.

As the crow flies, Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport (BOG) isn’t too far from where I was staying in Parque 93. However, since the roads aren’t super direct, the journey becomes an hour-long bus journey or a 30-to-40-minute cab ride. And for just over $8, it was a no-brainer.

According to the signs outside the terminal, KLM’s check-in desks are closest to door 3.

However, I can confirm that door 2 opens right next to the KLM and Air France check-in desks.

Checking In

I immediately noticed the long line of mainly backpackers waiting to check in.

Thankfully for me, I was able to use the Sky Priority lane with my business class ticket.

There was only 1 other passenger in line ahead of me, so I breezed through the process quickly.

Immigration and Security

In my experience, no matter what class of ticket you hold or how high your elite status is, departing from South American airports as a foreigner on an international flight means you enjoy no VIP treatment or fast tracking when passing through security and clearing immigration.

Such was the case at El Dorado.

There were 4 separate lanes, including 1 for those needing extra time (elderly, disabled, and families), 1 for Colombians registered with Biomig (similar to TSA PreCheck), 1 for Colombians who aren’t registered with Biomig, and the final lane for, you guessed it, all foreigners.

As it happens, the absence of a fast track line wouldn’t have made much difference, as only a few people were ahead of me when I reached the front of the barriers.

I was very happy to spot the futuristic-looking 920 CT scanner.

This meant that everything, including liquids and large electronic items like laptops, could stay in my bag. I still had to remove my shoes.

Getting my boarding pass to being in front of Avianca’s business class lounge took less than 10 minutes, which is pretty impressive.

Avianca Business Class Lounge

Even though KLM is part of the SkyTeam airline alliance and Avianca is a rival Star Alliance member, the dedicated lounge for Air France and KLM business class passengers in Bogotá is the Avianca business class lounge.

The lounge was almost immediately in front of me after winding my way through the postsecurity duty-free area.

Up a level was the reception desk with a sign showing directions for 2 lounges rather than 1: left for the Diamond Lounge and right for the VIP Lounge.

Another sign previously suggested that KLM passengers were eligible to use the VIP Lounge, so I followed instructions and turned right.

On seeing my KLM business class boarding pass, I was pointed back in the direction of the Diamond Lounge, which was, in fact, Avianca’s flagship lounge.

This is when I noticed this cool yet dirty, retro graphic of all of Avianca’s routes from Bogotá.

Avianca has been struggling through turbulent financial times lately, and after a terrible “business class” flight with the airline back in 2022, I was intrigued to experience the airline’s flagship lounge offering at its home airport.

The open-air space with floor-to-ceiling windows actually made for a really pleasant place to relax and have a bite before catching a flight.

The space was split into 3 main sections, each with different kinds of seating, from armchairs to tables for dining and reclined lounge chairs with footrests.

The zone with the dining tables closest to the buffet was pretty packed throughout my 90-minute stay.

I spent most of my time at this countertop looking over the apron and directly onto a busy runway.

When it comes to lounges with a view, it doesn’t really get much better than this. I love it when I catch the plane I’m about to fly on while it lands.

At the very back of the lounge was a modest buffet of freshly prepared hot and cold snacks.

There was a salad bar for lighter bites.

Cold snacks included miniature Caesar wraps and montadito de atún, which were tuna bruschetta.

Chicken stew with vegetables or meatballs in a Neapolitan sauce were the only main dishes.

These could be accompanied by rice, a staple in Latin America.

Mashed potatoes, a favorite of mine, were also available.

For smaller appetites, there were warm vegetable frittatas and a poorly translated “bolognese mini panne cook” (whatever that means).

Feeling pretty hungry, I served myself a large portion of chicken and vegetable stew with mashed potatoes. I’m always happy to find this type of hearty meat-and-potato dish as it’s the kind of meal we’d eat as a family growing up in the northeast of England.

Wanting to keep a clear head for the nighttime flight ahead of me, I stuck with sparkling water.

The fridge was stocked with still and sparkling water, a variety of sodas, and international and local beers, including Budweiser and Club Colombia.

Fresh tangerine, blackberry, and orange juices were also available.

In a country that prides itself on its coffee, it’s a shame there was no barista serving freshly brewed espresso. At least the bean-to-cup machine served Colombian coffee (that I didn’t try)!

For something a little stronger, lounge guests could choose from Chilean Undurraga wines. Bottles of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and rosé sat in an ice bucket.

There were 3 reds: a cabernet sauvignon, a merlot, and a carmenère.

Stronger still was a small selection of liquor to make a G&T with Gordon’s, pour a dram of Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky, or even have a Baileys on ice.

Maybe I missed it, but I didn’t see any sparkling wine.

After they disappeared during the pandemic, it’s always nice to see physical reading material back in lounges.

As I wanted to spend time exploring the airport a little, it was great to be able to leave my backpack securely locked away in the complimentary lockers.

Overall, the lounge was perfectly adequate, and I enjoyed watching the arrivals and departing aircraft from such a great spot. The selection of food was, for the most part, healthy, and I really enjoyed my chicken and veg stew with mash.

That said, the Avianca Diamond Lounge didn’t scream “flagship lounge.” It was more akin to a random nonairline lounge that just happened to have a good view and tasty food.

It wouldn’t take much investment for Avianca to make changes that would bring its business class lounge in line with other airlines’ home-base lounges around the world.

Boarding My Flight to Amsterdam

I’d never flown long-haul on KLM before and was eager to compare it with Air France, the airline it merged with in 2004.

My first time would be in a KLM World Business Class lie-flat seat on a 4.5-year-old Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner registered as PH-BKC.

The gate was a short walk from the lounge, where the screen showed a slight delay of 20 minutes.

Boarding started at 2:55 p.m., and we pushed back at 3:35 p.m., as the screen had predicted.

On Board KLM’s Boeing 787-10

A few things stood out to me before we took off.

First, a crew member announced over the PA that anyone taking photos or videos had to get the permission of the crew and passengers beforehand. As I’d been doing lots of exactly that before boarding, I was happy to put my phone down and get a bit more power from the wireless charger dock in the console at my seat. The regular power outlets weren’t working at this point.

Also, KLM’s safety video might have been the most boring safety video I’d ever seen.

I’m fully aware these videos are not meant to be entertainment, but airlines these days are coming up with creative ways to make their videos fun and engaging while giving the compulsory safety message. While I get their cultural importance, a video using Delft tiles in stop-motion felt lazy.

Boeing 787-10 World Business Class Cabin

The 38 1-2-1-configured seats in World Business Class on KLM’s Boeing 787-10s fit into 1 large cabin.

On first impression, the cabin felt modern, fresh, and bright, though, it would have felt more spacious without the set of middle overhead lockers — an approach other airlines are taking with their newer aircraft.

Middle seats were best for those traveling as a pair.

The seats were angled apart, facing inward, with a sliding divider that could close the small gap between the seats.

Other than the relatively small KLM logo on the rear wall, the cabin was nondescript and didn’t have a strong brand presence whatsoever.

KLM could have put more thought into the overall design of its business-class cabins to give it more personality.

The only other nod to KLM was the small crown motif on the headrest.

Following on from the business class cabin was a small premium economy cabin with 28 seats in a regular 2-3-2 configuration.

Between the front galley and the business class cabin, I could see the door of the flight attendant crew rest from my seat.

KLM World Business Class Seat

At my seat were a fairly decently padded pillow and a thin blanket and headphones, both wrapped in plastic.

The seat was angled facing the window, which meant the seat back was flush with the aisle rather than the window. This was the same for all window seats in KLM’s World Business Class cabin.

My personal preference is for the seat to be parallel to the fuselage and closer to the window than the aisle. Not only does this make for easier gazing out of the window, but I find being further away from the aisle feels more private.

I couldn’t help but immediately notice the remarkable number of scuffs, dents, and stains, considering the aircraft was only 5 years old.

The quality of plastic used for the side paneling of the seat was clearly subpar, given how chipped it was after only a few years of flying.

And there were scuffs and stains on the main side console, too.

Wear and tear aside, the seat was comfortable and practical.

The main and largest at-seat storage was this open shelf where I stored my water bottle. In the same console, I found the IFE remote, reading light, headphone jack, and universal power outlet.

In contrast to its partner Air France, none of KLM’s jets have closing doors in business class. This is a great example to prove, in some way, my opinion that closing doors are just a gimmick (unless they’re floor-to-ceiling and close fully).

Even without a closing door, the hard shell stopped me from being able to see into another passenger’s seat and vice versa.

The padded headrest could be adjusted to support the head and neck, which was great for maximizing sleep when the seat had to be upright during takeoff and landing.

At the height of the headrest was a pop-out reading light and the handheld IFE control.

In the fully flat position, the seat length stretched to a comfortable 78 inches (198 centimeters).

Space in the footwell was larger than you find at some airlines’ seats, but nothing more than average. Are you spotting a theme here?

I could enjoy extra relaxation in the takeoff and landing positions as my feet could reach the footwell — even with my short legs.

Above the footwell and underneath the IFE was a shelf that was good for storing things like books and phone chargers. There was also a USB port, which you can see below lit up in green.

Two pouches for reading materials (and my laptop) completed the storage.

I prefer it when airlines incorporate a built-in compartment with a lid in the side console where my hand is in the image below. It gives a far superior, sleek finish, as belongings are hidden away and don’t risk rolling around and being lost.

In the side panel were controls with 3 set positions for the seat and buttons to turn on the “Do Not Disturb” sign and change the brightness of the lighting.

My preference for built-in storage in the sideboard was likely impossible owing to the location of the tray table that rotated out from underneath it.

The table rotates out in 2 somewhat triangular shapes.

They folded out into an ample tray table.

Given the position of the hinge at the bottom left corner of the tray, the table could be maneuvered in such a way that I could get out of my seat even when it was laid up with the meal service.

Holding down the button for lie-flat mode, the seat reclined easily into its final 78-inch-long bed.

Food and Beverage

Bogotá to Cartagena

What I didn’t realize upon boarding was that the majority of passengers had flown this flight all the way from Amsterdam and that we’d share their last leg and my first leg from Bogotá to Cartagena.

As such, there was only a basic service on this leg.

A few minutes after boarding commenced, the service started with the usual business class offering of a selection of water, orange juice, or Bernard Lonclas Champagne, which retails for around $50 on the ground.

To toast the end of a marvelous vacation, I went for a glass of bubbles, mainly because I loved the unique style of the Champagne glasses.

Not long after the seatbelt signs were turned off, the flight attendants brought around a sweet and savory snack tray.

The stroopwafel got a massive thumbs-up from me.

This was swiftly followed by a tray of juices and water, along with the offer of something stronger.

Feeling the buzz from the first glass, I was in the mood for a second glass.

It was at this point I wished KLM had personal air vents, as the cabin temperature had increased significantly with the Colombian heat.

Cartagena to Amsterdam

We were on the ground for around an hour in Cartagena while those arriving from Amsterdam deplaned before the boarding of new passengers headed to Amsterdam.

As the new passengers were boarding, I was offered another glass of the Bernard Lonclas Champagne, though I turned a third one down.

I also noticed a bottle of water had been placed at my seat while I was wandering around the cabin.

Oh, and I took a few snaps at the aircraft door, which the crew were more than happy to help me with.

Shortly after takeoff, we were offered a first drink along with nuts. I was fully in review mode by this point, so I went for a sparkling water with a lime wedge.

A short while later, my starter of sweet potato and lentil curry soup was served on a tray laid up with an intricately detailed place setting. I’m not a soup fan, but this was excellent.

Even the cutlery was embossed with similarly intricate details.

Then I noticed this tiny letter letter. For me?

Oh, no. Just KLM’s cute and rather over-the-top way of presenting salt and pepper. I’m here for it.

Seconds later, I was offered a selection of breads.

KLM pulled off the rare combination of fresh bread with spreadable butter, which was even better when dunked in my soup.

I had 3 main courses to choose from:

• Sautéed gnocchi with creamy herb sauce and green mixed vegetables topped with parmesan cheese
• Shrimp with a spicy coconut sauce served with green rice, edamame, and mixed peppers
• Sliced beef tenderloin with carrot, purple potato, and sweet potato puree served with snow peas

I had the shrimp mainly because I was intrigued to try green rice for the first time. It was a colorful, well-balanced dish with a generous helping of shrimp that packed a flavorsome punch.

I had just enough room left to finish the desserts, including a blueberry tartlet, a tres leches cake, and something chocolatey that was simply called “chocolate” on the menu.

Finally, to finish off the dinner service, KLM offered dark, milk, or white chocolates in the shape of the quintessential Delft Blue houses.

I woke up to the smell of breakfast but couldn’t quite fit in any more than 1 croissant.

Had I been more hungry (and more awake), I could have chosen from the following:

• KLM’s “special mix of granola with creamy yoghurt”
• Cheese omelet with a cheese arepa and cherry tomatoes
• French toast with pineapple and berry sauce

Breakfast also included a cold plate of turkey ham, cream cheese, and (a single?) cherry tomato.

I’ll be adding KLM to my list of airlines that serve espresso — my favorite way to start the day.

Amenities

The 4K IFE screen was large and easily reachable from the seat. I prefer to use the screen over a remote, so this worked fine for me.

The entertainment system was well-stocked and even included a Christmas selection in April.

In my experience, unless so-called noise-cancellation headphones are produced in collaboration with a brand — let’s say Bang and Olufsen — the quality tends to be average. Such was the case for KLM’s business class headphones.

On the ground in Cartagena, a member of the new crew handed out a royal blue amenity kit with a pheasant embroidered onto it.

Inside were flight socks, a mask, Rituals lip balm and face moisturizer, a toothbrush (in the long brown paper package), miniature toothpaste, earplugs (in the small brown paper package), and the tiniest pen I’d ever seen.

The best amenity of all was the signature KLM Delft Blue house. The airline started giving them to its business class passengers in 1952, and they’ve since become a collector’s item.

Each of the 104 variations is filled with Dutch-produced Bols genever, a liquor very similar to gin.

Bathroom

The Delft Blue houses also were a design feature inside the 2 bathrooms at the front of business class.

This pretty ornamental flower was a nod to Dutch culture, as the color orange has been a symbol of the Netherlands since the 16th century. The cosmetics mirror was a nice touch, too.

Guests could use Rituals-branded body mist, hand and body lotion, and hair gel. I’d never seen hair gel as an amenity before!

I couldn’t help but think that KLM made more of an effort with the design of its bathroom interiors than with the interior of the business class cabin.

Service

“Disinterested” would be a strong word to use, but the laissez-faire vibe I got from the crew initially led me to guess they were only operating the hop from Bogotá to Cartagena. My suspicions were confirmed when I asked the lovely crew member who handed out the snack.

The clearly tired crew who operated the flight from Amsterdam to Bogotá and then onto Cartagena were replaced with a fresh-faced, well-rested crew who operated our flight back to Europe from Cartagena.

For the remainder of my time aboard, I was looked after by the lovely Saaskia. We built up a good rapport during our semifrequent interactions during the meal service. While I felt by no means rushed, I think a conscious effort was being made to complete dinner service as swiftly as possible so we could maximize sleep. I definitely appreciated this.

Arrival at Amsterdam Schiphol

We touched down at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport at 10:41 a.m., around 10 minutes ahead of schedule.

I was looking forward to my first visit to KLM’s flagship lounge for my 9-hour layover. The design, size, and large variety of seating in Lounge 52 were impressive. However, for the airline’s flagship lounge, the small buffet area that served the same selection of 3 hot dishes for the whole day left a lot to be desired.

Pitiful dining aside, the lounge got a huge thumbs-up from me for its expansive outdoor terrace looking directly onto a busy apron.

Somehow, my 9 hours flew by, and it was time to catch my final flight to London City (LCY). I found the business class cabin on this Embraer E190 to be decidedly nicer than the Boeing 787-10 that I’d arrived on that morning.

Final Thoughts

I think KLM’s World Business Class has the potential to be an excellent product. But the use of seemingly cheap materials (given the wear and tear of the fairly new aircraft), the simple and nondescript design of the cabin, the lack of a closing door, and the missed opportunity for better at-seat storage make for a distinctly average product.

On the other hand, I’d say KLM is better than other carriers when it comes to elements such as the attention to detail in the silverware, glassware, tableware, and the unique collectible Delft Blue houses.

Having now flown both Air France and KLM’s business class products, I’ll make a conscious effort to fly Air France’s aircraft from now on, as the hard product and service far outweigh that of its partner airline, KLM.