KLM to Fully Revamp Inflight Catering Product

On December 1, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will renew many aspects of its inflight catering product. The changes will affect KLM’s World Business Class and intercontinental Economy Class, as well as KLM Europe Select aboard KLM and KLM cityhopper flights.

“The improvements were prompted by surveys conducted among passengers, assessing their needs and ratings of our inflight products. The new products were developed in collaboration with leading gastronomic experts. We will be offering better quality meals and we have modernized the design of our trays, crockery and cutlery,” said Erik Varwijk, executive vice president – Inflight Services.

World Business Class

Following the successful partnership with leading Dutch chef Cees Helder and the current partnership with Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe, KLM has opted to treat its Business Class passenger to the internationally renowned and highly innovative cuisine of Jacques and Laurent Pourcel. The brothers, who run top-class restaurants in many countries, have produced recipes for the hors d’oeuvre, three main courses, and dessert. 

This culinary partnership will run from December 1 until the start of the summer schedule. The new menu will be available to KLM’s Business Class passengers departing from Amsterdam.

Intercontinental Economy Class

As of December 1, Economy Class passengers aboard KLM’s intercontinental flights will also be offered a whole new catering concept. On flights departing from Schiphol, passengers will be served meals developed together with the Italian food specialties group Bertolli, a Unilever subsidiary.

In response to customer survey results, KLM will increase the portions of hors d’oeuvres and desserts by 40%. To complement the new meals, the trays, crockery and cutlery have also been renewed.

India Product

Effective December 1, KLM will also extend its range of route-specific catering. On all flights to and from India, passengers in World Business Class and Economy Class will be offered a choice of Indian and Western cuisine, which will both be available as a full menu. The Indian meals were developed together with Andy Vama, the driving force behind the Vama Group and owner of the famous restaurant The Indian Room in London and other restaurants.

Europe Select

Also effective December 1, meals served in KLM cityhopper’s KLM Europe Select will be identical to those served aboard KLM flights, in terms of content and quality. The new meals were developed together with Peter Klosse, owner of top Dutch restaurant De Echoput in Apeldoorn and founder of the Dutch Academy for Gastronomy. The new box and tray were selected by a special panel of 100 Flying Blue members.

On KLM and KLM cityhopper flights lasting less than 100 hundred minutes, Europe Select passengers will receive a specially developed meal box, with drinks served in a porcelain mug and glassware. On European flights lasting more than 100 minutes, the meals will be served on trays. The meal box and tray have a matching design.

KLM Economy in Europe

The renewal of the KLM catering product will be rounded off in March 2007, with the introduction of a new, identical KLM Economy catering product aboard all European flights operated by KLM and KLM cityhopper. “The introduction of this improved meal service marks the completion of our program to renew the KLM cityhopper product,” said Michel Coumans, Director of KLM cityhopper. KLM’s regional subsidiary is in the process of revamping the interior and exterior of its Fokker fleet.

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