During the flight, I accidentally spilled coffee on my table and called for help. A cabin crew member came over and handed me a tiny wet tissue still in the plastic, without offering any assistance or attempting to clean the table. She clearly saw that my hands were full of leftover coffee but simply gave me the unopened tissue package. I had to clean the mess all by myself.
While I was busy cleaning, she handed me another hot coffee. lol
I had to sit for over 8 hours with a sticky table I couldn't even place my laptop on, as everything I touched was covered in a sticky mess. The residue was everywhere -- on the foldable table, the armrest handle, and even on me. With such a tiny table and narrow legroom, the crew collected trash so slowly that I couldn't get up to clean myself or grab more paper towels. Since they didn't provide any dry or wet tissues, I had to carefully squeeze down--without flipping everything on the table--to reach the bag under the seats and clean up using my own tissues.
And this was supposed to be a nearly $10,000 premium ticket experience.
Also, on the flight from LAX to AMS, food and drinks were served continuously without clearing previous items. The table was crowded with glasses and dishes, and no one came to clean up. They just kept pouring drinks. I couldn't even get up to use the restroom because the table couldn't be folded back--no one came to collect the trays or drinkware for 50+ minutes.
The potato in the meal was raw--completely undercooked. It was not only unpleasant but also unsafe to eat. This kind of oversight reflects poor quality control and is unacceptable on any flight, especially in a premium cabin. And the bread? Ice cold. The cheese had the texture of gum and no taste at all--like chewing on soap. Everything else was absolutely trash. The food made me feel bloated. Perhaps it was the raw potato I accidentally swallowed that caused my stomach to bloat.
Six years ago, the food was fantastic. Now? I'm not sure who's in the kitchen, but it feels like cooking isn't their actual job.
During trash collection, an attempt was made to hand the crew an empty water bottle, only to be met with a dismissive response: "Hold on to it yourself--it's not ours to pick up." The stewardess then firmly placed the bottle back on the table.
Her impatient tone and annoyed demeanor made me feel like she was lecturing a misbehaving child rather than offering professional help. If the crew can't collect certain items, they should communicate this politely.
The toilets looked dirty, and there was water on the floor 9 out of 10 times, as if no one cleaned them properly. Well, if they could ignore my coffee spill, I guess they don't care to clean the toilets either.
The business class, on the other hand, had clean toilets and attentive service. Surprisingly, you could even throw away your own empty water bottle without complaint--apparently, the rules are different when you pay more.The food was presented nicely but didn't taste good. The salmon pasta salad with ikura on top was slimy.
When I asked the cabin crew for food suggestions, they basically shrugged and said, "Everyone's taste is different, and we don't really know the food." Fair enough--but in a service business, I was hoping for more than a polite shrug and a, "Good luck figuring out your own taste!"
The in-flight entertainment was awful--just a bunch of old movies, and the dramas? Only two episodes each, like free samples. For a flight over 10 hours, that's seriously disappointing.
This trip reminded me of Snowpiercer--where the divide between rich and poor isn't just about money, but about how people are treated. Even in premium class, the service can feel cold, distant, and unfair. In just one trip, you come to understand the true meaning of Bong Joon-ho's "the smell of poverty"--uncomfortable and deeply unsettling.
After six years away, this was far from the warm welcome I hoped for--a huge disappointment. KLM was once known for its professionalism and comfort, even in economy. read more