KL or LH to IST. Any experiences?

airmemphis · Post by **airmemphis** » 21 Feb 2006, 17:05

Hello. I need some advice. I am flying to Istanbul next week and can either take LH or KL.

LH: MAN-FRA (A320) FRA-IST (A300)
or
KL: MAN-AMS (B737) AMS-IST (B737)

What meal services do they offer on their flights in particular the sectors to/from Istanbul? snacks? hot meals?

Advice would be appreciated

brieky · Post by **brieky** » 21 Feb 2006, 17:53

i would go for LH

-2 different aircraft types
-well known good service (KL also)
-...

airmemphis · Post by **airmemphis** » 21 Feb 2006, 18:01

Thank you brieky. I am more inclined to go with Lufthansa too but they are around 80Euros more expensive. Do you know about meal services? Also how long before a flight can you check in online for these flights on their websites?

MKAirlines · Post by **MKAirlines** » 21 Feb 2006, 18:07

I would go for KLM just because they are 80 Euros cheaper

rares_dan · Post by **rares_dan** » 21 Feb 2006, 18:19

airmemphis wrote:Hello. I need some advice. I am flying to Istanbul next week and can either take LH or KL.

LH: MAN-FRA (A320) FRA-IST (A300)
or
KL: MAN-AMS (B737) AMS-IST (B737)

What meal services do they offer on their flights in particular the sectors to/from Istanbul? snacks? hot meals?

Advice would be appreciated

KL is the cheapest one. Around 210 euro round trip, tax included. Regarding the meal service there would be dinner for the MAN-AMS segment and cold meal for the AMS-IST segment.
A more quikly way to get to IST is with Turkish Airlines. They fly 737-800(maybe one with winglets) directly from MAN to IST at around 370 euro round trip, tax included.

airmemphis · Post by **airmemphis** » 21 Feb 2006, 18:40

MKAirlines wrote:I would go for KLM just because they are 80 Euros cheaper

True but LH's flight times are perfectly timed. Also that cheaper KL fare is restricted to the KL flight that arrives into IST at 23:30 and depart 05:40 in the morning which effectively means 'loosing' 2 days. Even though I'm going for work purposes, the extra time could come in very handy to see the city (first time visitor).

rares_dan wrote:KL is the cheapest one. Around 210 euro round trip, tax included. Regarding the meal service there would be dinner for the MAN-AMS segment and cold meal for the AMS-IST segment.
A more quikly way to get to IST is with Turkish Airlines. They fly 737-800(maybe one with winglets) directly from MAN to IST at around 370 euro round trip, tax included.

Yes TK would be more ideal however my company doesn't deal with them. If they would use one of their new A332s then I could be convinced to splash out for the airfare on my own...

As for KL, are you sure about the meals? I regularly fly NCL-AMS-NCL with B734s and Fokkers and all we got is a juice and a very small sandwich. I'd assume the IST leg would have something more substancial, but I'm guessing there.

MKAirlines · Post by **MKAirlines** » 21 Feb 2006, 18:49

Its seems you already made a decision to fly with LH

airmemphis · Post by **airmemphis** » 21 Feb 2006, 19:00

MKAirlines wrote:Its seems you already made a decision to fly with LH

The reason I'm considering KL is I might get the chance to try the B739 - along with the B731 it's the only B737 I have not tried. Do you know what aircraft they use on the AMS-IST route?

brieky · Post by **brieky** » 21 Feb 2006, 19:51

i think only B737-800! sadly no -900 version!

greetz

brieky · Post by **brieky** » 21 Feb 2006, 20:04

oops! Sorry, KL flys different 737 types to IST most of al -800 but also often -900.

greetz Brieky

airmemphis · Post by **airmemphis** » 21 Feb 2006, 22:20

brieky wrote:oops! Sorry, KL flys different 737 types to IST most of al -800 but also often -900.

greetz Brieky

Do you know where I can find which variant is planned to be used on specific flight? Amadeus shows all KL flights as "B737" only and their website isn't helpful either.

Sabena_690 · Post by **Sabena_690** » 21 Feb 2006, 23:23

rares-dan wrote:Regarding the meal service there would be dinner for the MAN-AMS segment and cold meal for the AMS-IST segment.

A complimentary sandwich will be on offer between MAN and AMS, while a small mealbox will offered between AMS and IST (containing food like a pasta salad or a hot sandwich, with a few other items like some cheese).

I think that LH still serves hot meals between FRA and IST, although I can't confirm this. MAN-FRA will see a sandwich, or a biscuit (depending on the time of the day).

airmemphis wrote:Do you know where I can find which variant is planned to be used on specific flight? Amadeus shows all KL flights as "B737" only and their website isn't helpful either.

KL is known to switch aircraft types very frequently according to the expected load, even close to the day of departure. Which means that predicting the B737 subtype is very difficult.

But... I checked several dates of the last few months, and PH-HZM was always listed as the aircraft operating both daily flights between AMS and IST. PH-HZM is a B738, and an ex-Transavia bird. I don't know whether KL has reconfigured this aircraft (the Transavia seating configuration is obviously more cramped in comparison with the KLM layout).

I would go for Lufthansa! (prefer the wider seats in Y on the A32S; the front part of the LH Y section often offers you a C-class legspace when the convertible C-class section isn't fully used; and very important the LH schedule offers you more flexibility (visiting the beautiful city of Istanbul,...).

Do know however that both LH and KL are good airlines, and will take good care of you.

Hope to read a trip report!

Regards
Frederic

airmemphis · Post by **airmemphis** » 22 Feb 2006, 00:16

Thanks Frederic. Your post was very informative and I've just confirmed that I'll take Lufthansa.

I'm surprised that hot meals are still served on intra-European services so good on Lufthansa.

Shame about KL only operating the B738 on the IST sector (which btw is a great aircraft). I guess by not specifying which variant will be used on a flight allows quite a bit of last minute capacity flexability from the B733 to the B739.

Do you know which rows on LH's A320s, A321s and AB6 offer the convertible C seats? I will try checking in online the day before so knowing which row(s) would help.

Cheers

rares_dan · Post by **rares_dan** » 22 Feb 2006, 09:28

airmemphis wrote: True but LH's flight times are perfectly timed. Also that cheaper KL fare is restricted to the KL flight that arrives into IST at 23:30 and depart 05:40 in the morning which effectively means 'loosing' 2 days. Even though I'm going for work purposes, the extra time could come in very handy to see the city (first time visitor).

KL1072 MAN-AMS 06:00/08:30
KL1613 AMS-IST 10:00/14:30
KL1610 IST-AMS 05:45/08:30
KL1075 AMS-MAN 09:20/09:40
Total cost: 199 euro, tax included

KL1084 MAN-AMS 15:05/17:30
KL1617 AMS-IST 19:25/23:50
KL1610 IST-AMS 05:45/08:30
KL1075 AMS-MAN 09:20/09:40
Total cost: 200 euro, tax included

Another option for today: Swiss International Airlines and LOT.
LX391 MAN-ZRH 08:40/11:50 op. by Swiss European Airlines Avro RJ100
LX1804 ZRH-IST 12:30/16:15 A321
LX1805 IST-ZRH 17:10/19:05 A321
LX390 ZRH-MAN 07:05/08:10(next day) op. by Swiss European Airlines Avro RJ100
Total cost: 245 euro, tax included

LO290 MAN-WAW 06:25/10:00 EMB-145
LO135 WAW-IST 13:10/16:30 737-500
LO136 IST-WAW 17:25/18:55 737-500
LO289 WWA-MAN 20:00/21:50 EMB-145
Total cost: 320 euro, tax included

And a new price: Turkish Airlines.
TK1994 MAN-IST 11:00/17:00 737-800
TK1993 IST-MAN 07:50/10:00 737-800
Total cost: 290 euro, tax included.

Sabena_690 · Post by **Sabena_690** » 22 Feb 2006, 10:08

airmemphis wrote:Shame about KL only operating the B738 on the IST sector (which btw is a great aircraft).

I don't know whether all flights are operated by the B738 or not. I checked 12 dates during the past 6 months, and both daily flights were operated by PH-HZM every time, which is a B738.

airmemphis wrote:Do you know which rows on LH's A320s, A321s and AB6 offer the convertible C seats?

The AB6 doesn't offer those convertible seats (the AB6 has a dedicated Business Class area). About the LH A32S: LH has started reconfiguring all aircraft with a new seating layout, but as you are flying next week, you can be 97 % sure that you will get an aircraft in the old configuration (with the 34inch legspace if you are lucky).

Just try to get a seat in front of row 10 on the A32S flights (in front of row 14 on the A321 is good as well).

In the new LH cabin, all rows will have the same seatpitch, and both C-class and Y-class will have the same seats. The only difference is the fact that LH will not book passengers in the middle seats of the C-class section.

Regards
Frederic

hakan · Post by **hakan** » 22 Feb 2006, 10:26

If I were you I would take the most direct flights. Please let us know your experience and observation on LH flights.

airmemphis · Post by **airmemphis** » 22 Feb 2006, 18:01

rares_dan wrote:
KL1084 MAN-AMS 15:05/17:30
KL1617 AMS-IST 19:25/23:50
KL1610 IST-AMS 05:45/08:30
KL1075 AMS-MAN 09:20/09:40
Total cost: 200 euro, tax included

That was the KL option offered to me but I was able to get it at a much lower price. As you can see a 'lose' 2 potential days in Istanbul.

Sabena_690 wrote: The AB6 doesn't offer those convertible seats (the AB6 has a dedicated Business Class area). About the LH A32S: LH has started reconfiguring all aircraft with a new seating layout, but as you are flying next week, you can be 97 % sure that you will get an aircraft in the old configuration (with the 34inch legspace if you are lucky).

Just try to get a seat in front of row 10 on the A32S flights (in front of row 14 on the A321 is good as well).

In the new LH cabin, all rows will have the same seatpitch, and both C-class and Y-class will have the same seats. The only difference is the fact that LH will not book passengers in the middle seats of the C-class section.

Thanks a lot Frederic. Your information has been invaluable.

hakan wrote: If I were you I would take the most direct flights. Please let us know your experience and observation on LH flights.

I will make a mental note to post something on the site when I come back.

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KL or LH to IST. Any experiences?

KL or LH to IST. Any experiences?

Re: KL or LH to IST. Any experiences?