INTERVIEW: TLFL speaks to KLM’s UK and Ireland General Manager Jerome Salemi

Given that a lot of TLFL readers have been considering a move to Flying Blue (KLM/Air France) after their status match offer, I thought now was a good time to share some insights from  KLM’s General Manager for UK & Ireland, Jerome Salemi.

Regional connections and Exeter launch

KLM recently launched their 18th UK destination with the launch of Exeter. This is way more than British Airways, that have 13 UK departure points.  So KLM makes a lot of sense for those that want to fly from an airport that is close to their home or office. The new service starts on  30 March 2025 and will be operated by KLM Cityhopper from 30th March, using an 88-seat Embraer 175 aircraft. All their regional services offer business class although the style varies according to the aircraft type (see below). So far forward bookings have been very positive for the route. 

Exeter was chosen due to the obvious gap in flights from the south west of the country left by the demise of Flybe. When deciding on a new airport KLM works in conjunction with their partners Air France to see how it will fit within the whole network and avoid any cannibalization. 

The schedule for the new service is perfect if you fancy a short break in Amsterdam. 

Given the number of airports they serve, I asked Jerome if he thought KLM could expand further within the UK. He confirmed that they had no plans at the moment to look for new UK airports but that they have expanded services at Manchester with their new A321Neo aircraft and up to 6 flights per day as well as recently going double daily from Belfast. Instead, they are introducing more worldwide destinations like San Diego and Hyderabad. 

Business and Premium class experience and fleet on KLM

Business class seats on short haul consists of two different styles depending on the aircraft. On their B737s, A321/A320 they offer a traditional style European business class with a blocked middle seat.

The A321neo experience is even better thanks to wider seats, larger tables and more spacious luggage bins that allow you to fit roller bags on their side. We all know how annoying it is to get on board and not be able to find space for your bag, so the introduction of these new overhead bins is a welcome development. Each seat is equipped with a USB-C port and a holder for a mobile or tablet.

On the Embraer aircraft the configuration is different with 2-1 on the E175 and 2-2 on the E190 which obviously means you do not get the blocked seat. I flew on this aircraft type and thought the seats were perfectly comfortable.

On long haul they have now completed adding their premium economy product, Premium Comfort Class. The addition of a new class is the biggest product change in years. All Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft are now equipped with this class.

For business class seats on long haul flights, the focus is on the 3Fs, fully flat, full aisle access and full privacy. More than 50% of their long haul fleet consists of their B787s and B777s, which have the seats that conform to the 3Fs. I asked Jerome what else passengers could expect from their business class that was specific to KLM. He thought that the service from the cabin crew was one of their standout features, which I agree with. I have found all the KLM staff I have dealt with to be exceptionally friendly. He also explained that they were trying to look at increasing personalisation further for your own personal preferences to be recorded and delivered to you on a flight. 

KLM will be investing seven billion euros in its fleet renewal programme over the next few years. On European routes, KLM will be replacing its older Boeing 737s with Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft. At KLM Cityhopper, new E2 models will join the Embraer 175 and 190 aircraft. For intercontinental flights, KLM will be adding five new Boeing 787-10s, followed by the Airbus A350 replacing the older 777s and A330s. Finally, KLM has ordered four A350Fs for its cargo division to replace the 747 freighters.

Connecting through Amsterdam

One of the most interesting things I learned from our conversation was a new feature for those connecting through Amsterdam. If you have a tight connection, you will be sent a Fast Track pass to enable you to get through security quicker and give you some peace of mind about your connection. I thought this was a very simple but clever idea, that I wish more airlines would adopt. While Amsterdam is a large airport which can involve a bit of walking, it does have several advantages. There are no separate terminals here so you don’t have to worry about getting a bus or train to another terminal as is the case at many other airports. Minimum connection times start from 55 minutes for those connecting to short haul destinations or 1 hour for New York as examples. 

There has also been a very clever new development for those with mobility issues who may not want to book full assistance but struggle with a long walk. Amsterdam now has self-driving wheelchairs, from which you can select your gate and it will safely deliver you there. The service is free of charge and advance booking is not necessary. The wheelchairs can be found at three locations in Lounge 2 and 3, just after passport control. This is in the non-Schengen area. You can simply get in, put on their seatbelt, and select their gate number. The wheelchair will then drive autonomously to the gate. Upon arrival, the traveller gets out of the wheelchair, and it automatically drives back to the starting point. Hopefully, other airports will offer this so that full assistance is only used for those who really need it, as it is often under-resourced. 

Lounges

Of course, I had to ask about the fact that there is no longer a Skyteam lounge at Heathrow. Prior to COVID, there was a great Skyteam lounge at T4 with a Clarins spa and a wine area, which I always loved to visit. During COVID, Air France and KLM were relocated to Terminal 3 for a significant period of time, during which the Skyteam lounge shut and has never reopened.

Jerome was clear that improving their lounges offerings with investment was a key focus for the airline. He expressed his frustration that many regional airports have limited options. They would like to have more KLM or Skyteam operated lounges, but at most regional airports, this is simply not an option due to space. So the airline can only offer whatever lounges are already there. 

At Heathrow, KLM/Air France is using the Plaza Premium lounge, which opened in October 2024 and is a good third-party lounge. However, Jerome indicated that they would like to reopen a Skyteam or KLM/Air France lounge again at Heathrow, but it was very much dependent on Heathrow finding the space.

At Amsterdam they have the fairly new Crown Lounge which I like. I am a fan of the outdoor terrace and upstairs bar which has paid premium drinks and free standard options. You can read our full review here.

Final points

We also discussed the recent Flying Blue status match which had a great response from disgruntled BA customers. He was also positive about the potential for Heathrow’s third runway, although like many airlines they are keen that the costs of the expansion are not passed on to airlines and then customers since the airport charges are already some of the highest in the world and meant to include a contribution towards future development.