While details are limited as of now, KLM plans on introducing an all new business class suite with doors on its Boeing 777s.
In this post:
KLM plans Boeing 777 cabin refreshes
The Boeing 777 is the backbone of KLM’s long haul fleet, as the carrier has 31 of these planes, including 15 Boeing 777-200ERs and 16 Boeing 777-300ERs. Given the long haul routes that this airplane operates, the 777s have a rather outdated premium product. KLM has Collins Aerospace Diamond seats, which are in a 2-2-2 configuration. While they’re fully flat, they’re about as tight as fully flat seats get.
The good news is that this should soon be changing. As reported by luchtvaartnieuws.nl, KLM will soon be introducing a new Boeing 777 business class product, featuring direct aisle access from every seat, and even privacy doors.
This coincides with KLM’s plans to introduce premium economy on both the Boeing 777 and Boeing 787, since KLM didn’t previously have this product (unlike Air France, and unlike transatlantic joint venture partner Delta). It’s expected that all of the details about updated cabins will be unveiled in late May 2022.
For context, KLM’s 777s are an average of roughly 12 years old. These planes still have plenty of life left in them, so cabin refreshes seem appropriate.
What new business class seat will KLM choose?
KLM hasn’t yet revealed what business class seat it will introduce on 777s, though there are three most likely options.
If KLM wants a reverse herringbone seat (similar to what it has on 787s), then a Collins Aerospace Super Diamond seat with a door is the most likely option, similar to what you’ll find on British Airways’ Airbus A350-1000s.
Alternatively, one popular new seat is the Adient Ascent product, which debuted on Qatar Airways’ Boeing 787-9s. This product is highly customizable, but all potential layouts feature direct aisle access from every seat and doors.
The last option would be a staggered configuration with Vantage XL seats, which are the same seats you’ll find on Delta’s Airbus A350-900s. While Delta and KLM have a transatlantic joint venture, that doesn’t necessarily make it more likely that the two airlines would select the same seats.
Personally I think the Collins Aerospace Super Diamond seat is the most likely option (to align with 787s), followed by the Adient Ascent seat.
Bottom line
KLM plans on introducing a new Boeing 777 business class product, intended to make these planes competitive for years to come. It’s expected that KLM will introduce seats with direct aisle access and doors, representing a great improvement over the current product.
We should learn more details about KLM’s new business class in the coming weeks, and I’m curious to see what seat KLM chooses.
What are you expecting from KLM’s new 777 business class?
Are the doors really so important to you? Most people don't choose a flight for comfort, food, or the services.
Their 787 seats are by JAMCO, so if they’re going to buy from the same manufacturer, it’ll be the “Quest for Elegance” seats (mouthful, eh?) which bear much similarities with the Vantage XL.
Or they’ll just use the B/E Super Diamond seats. The KLM person said they’ll be wider than the seats on the 787.
They could get the Recaro CL6720 or a configuration of Adient Ascent if they’re going for density. In any case, it’ll be announced in May, so that’s exciting
This pop-up on the bottom is extremely annoying.
Use Brave browser instead of Chrome/Safari/... It automatically blocks 99% of unwanted stuff like adverts.
Soooo agree with the pop up. P l e a s e get rid of them. They are very annoying as I've said before.
True my fat finger always opens up the adverts
It's 2022 guys! If you still haven't heard about Brave browser with integrated adblocking or uBlock origin + uMatrix as add-on for Chrome, you are missing out big time!
They would need to revamp whole product - soft/hard and culture. Business food is really terrible, quality shockingly poor (cafeteriaesque), Asian choices to South America - go figure?? Overcrowded lounges and brutally unfriendly and direct staff can make it very uncomfortable and annoying to get any service and subpar food….Heineken foam on tap not a good enough selling point. I have avoided the 777 as best I can and “pack a lunch/dinner” for 787’s. I...
They would need to revamp whole product - soft/hard and culture. Business food is really terrible, quality shockingly poor (cafeteriaesque), Asian choices to South America - go figure?? Overcrowded lounges and brutally unfriendly and direct staff can make it very uncomfortable and annoying to get any service and subpar food….Heineken foam on tap not a good enough selling point. I have avoided the 777 as best I can and “pack a lunch/dinner” for 787’s. I suspect the cult following will be happy with news of new seats as many flights full through pandemic and the Dutch houses distributed at flight end as weirdly popular as ever (FYI enough gin for a single G n T perhaps, so nothing to write home about)
I actually like their 777 seats, the cushioning is much nicer than the reverse herringbone on their 787. I’ve even changed a 787 flight to fly on their 777 instead…
Anyways, booking and flying KLM fully knowing the seat to expect and receiving nice delft blue house always leave me a pretty happy camper
Meanwhile Lufthansa is still a year away from introducing a product that is already outdated and of which 5 year old renderings are all that exists.
Lufthansa's custom seat has a big advantage over all other seats that are off-the-shelve: It is tailored for regularly tall Europeans, and not for midget-Asians.
It will be the only Business Class seat that fits a person above 1.80m and above shoe size EU40 well.
And it has a good balance between privacy and openness: More privacy than open seats, more openness than claustrophobic prison cell seats with doors.
That's good. I had a choice between AF and KL for a trip to Europe in the Fall and was surprised that KLM had 2-2-2 business class. Made the choice we easy though.
Oddly enough, I still like the outdated 777 seats, and I like that they don't have PE on those planes. Makes check-in upgrades cheap ($550 from economy for a 13-hour flight? yes please)
I wish they would do something with the A330 biz seats.
The seats (& the planes) will reportedly be retired by 2025 (though that is dependent on getting the 787s they ordered, so that timeline could change).
However, since none of us get to choose what kind of seats that KLM puts in their planes. We all will have to use whatever lovely seat design that KLM chooses. We have no vote on this so why suggest what type that KLM seats are best?
Doors have to be the most overrated gimic ever. You lose any sense of space premium cabins are supposed to give you in the first place.
Agreed. Unless the suite is enclosed floor to ceiling like the new Emirates F cabin or as large as Singapore's suites, I don't entirely see the point...just feels like a flying coffin.
The wonderful thing about doors is they open and close. No ones forcing you to fly with the door closed.
I like CX's Business and First class seat. Even without a door, it still feels cozy and private. I also like AF's current First seat; I'd prefer a curtain to a door.
And they rip out valuable overhead bin space in order to make the confinement less obvious...go figure
thumbs up, Cedric,
exactly thinking the same. It seems that the only important point nowadays is SUITES WITH DOORS. No matter whether you are squeezed into small space. You cannot move and turn........but wow we have doors!!
I still like the current KLM 777 business configuration very much. Spacious while sleeping. The cabin gives you a very nice sense of space and of course perfect when travelling with a partner. But even with a...
thumbs up, Cedric,
exactly thinking the same. It seems that the only important point nowadays is SUITES WITH DOORS. No matter whether you are squeezed into small space. You cannot move and turn........but wow we have doors!!
I still like the current KLM 777 business configuration very much. Spacious while sleeping. The cabin gives you a very nice sense of space and of course perfect when travelling with a partner. But even with a stranger by your side, not a big problem. Direct aisle access, yes if you need to leave your seat every 15 minutes you should choose aisle seat. Otherwise it is really not a big deal to step over your neighbour once during the night.
Martin
These popups in the bottom of the article make it nearly impossible to read these anymore, on my iPhone the pop up blocks a significant portion of the text and when I try to close it it just opens the article. I would suggest removing them they’ve really degraded my experience on this website since you started using them
Thank you! I’m about to throw in the towel on this site after more than a decade because of pop ups.
I use an adblocker
Completely agree!
Use Brave browser both on iPhone and computer. It blocks out 99% of unwanted stuff.
The picture that you have uploaded claiming to be KLM's 777 business class seat is actually the one they put on their A330s. The 777 business class seat looks slightly different- see the pics in your Singapore-Bali review.
I... if we're going for product consistency and high density (since KLM focuses more on transfer passengers), why not use the product that Air France put on their A350s. I think that product was chosen for the...
The picture that you have uploaded claiming to be KLM's 777 business class seat is actually the one they put on their A330s. The 777 business class seat looks slightly different- see the pics in your Singapore-Bali review.
I... if we're going for product consistency and high density (since KLM focuses more on transfer passengers), why not use the product that Air France put on their A350s. I think that product was chosen for the fact you could cram more seats onto the plane since they were going to be destined for Joon? I see this to be a bit more likely than some form of reverse herringbone product with door.
And u could fit those with doors too as advertised by the manufacturer