KLM Cityhopper UK / AMS aircraft

[in-my-opinion]

As an alternative to transiting LHR, many long-haul travellers from other UK cities eg MAN, LBA, GLA, EDI etc. are big users of this as a first / last leg to an AMS KLM long haul flight.

Can anyone from KLC indicate if there is any chance of the Fokkers used on thes routes being retired, and A320/B737 being introduced? The Fokkers give the impression of being old, tired and not very fuel effficient...however I sress this is my impression and not backed up by fact. The remote parking in use for these at AMS adds to the sense of being not quite at the top end of things and the contrast at AMS coming off a nicy shiney new 777 on to a F70 or F100 for the final leg back to the UK is quite something.

Comments?

[World of Tweed]

I will state that I do not fly or work for KLC but I can tell you that the F70/F100 is actually a fairly advanced aircraft.

Your impression is valid as it looks quite old fashioned with its T-tail - rear mounted engines. But Its actually a very quiet jet and is relatively fuel efficient for the 100seat-ish capacity. It also has a lot of very fancy kit on board.

From a technical stand-point it is more advanced than the 737-800, having an electronic fault managment system and some nifty navigation features that the 737 doesn't quite have.

Also for MAN at least the KLM 737 is regular visitor as they usually park next to us.

[Lancelot37]

You say "The Fokkers give the impression of being old, tired and not very fuel effficient"

For several years we've used AMS, as pax, from Teesside for our annual trip to Oz. I would never route through LHR if ever possible.

The Fokkers have proved to be very quiet, have plenty of room compared with a 747 in cattle class and I'd willingly do the whole journey from AMS to PER if the Fokker was capable of doing it in one hop! (Fuel wise, I mean)

A change for our next trip will be to use Emirates from Newcastle, via Dubai to PER.

[AlphaWhiskyRomeo]

Doesn't help when the Fokkers always seem to be so dirty.

[perkin]

I believe KLM recently had an Embraer E-Jet on demo at Schiphol, so perhaps they're looking at the Embraer family to replace the assorted Fokkers (F-50/70/100) in due course. I doubt with the frequencies KLM operate some of these routes that they'd be replaced by any larger aircraft such as 737 or A320.

I've flown on an F-70 and it was a very smooth, quiet ride, except getting bounced about rather more on the AMS approach than the heavier 737's and Airbuses. Interior was in excellent condition, as seems often the case with KLM aircraft, though they do have a few old bangers. I understand the F-70/100 series has pretty advanced avionics kit and were leading technology when introduced.

[Andy_S]

Doesn't help when the Fokkers always seem to be so dirty.
Yes, they're dirty old Fokkers aren't they.......:E :E

[Curious Pax]

There's a suggestion around various spotter's sites that some of the oldest FK100s will be replaced with EMB190s from Regional's order starting October next year. Something is supposed to be announced in August. Allegedly.

[lba2006]

Cityhopper are to recieve 5 ex Regional Fokker 70's.

[Chef]

The F50 is very fuel efficient, not the best to fly on but works well on the market it serves, mainly LCY.

KLM mainline pushed for the F50 LCY service to be positioned on a main stand & not remote parked so i think there now feeling the pinch from VLM.

F100 if my memory serves from the old KLM (UK) days were a little unreliable servicability wise.

LCY get rather a lot of pax off to africa vis AMS, works out much cheaper.

We love the fokker really ....;)

[in-my-opinion]

World of Tweed - thanks for that insight. It has indeed changed my impression. PPRUNE really does help get the facts from those who know.

[Phileas Fogg]

The Fokker (Jet) is a brilliant aircraft, the F28, forerunner of the F70, was the original mini-jet and as a solo traveller I love the, only, 2 seats across on the LHS of the cabin.

Shame the City Hopper's catering is inferior to that of KLM mainline and that is poor enough :)

[Ray D'Avecta]

Phileas Fogg, KLM catering is the same for all Europe flights, KLM 737 or KLM Cityhopper F100, F70 or F50.

Must have been a while since you last flew cityhopper :}

[RingwaySam]

Travelled on KLM to SXM in May. We flew out of MAN one of KLMs 737-300s, which was in abit of a state compared to the return flight on the Fokker 100. The Fokker 100 is a great jet, specially after getting off a long-haul flight, the legroom is excellent aswell. Yes, you can tell it's an old plane inside but it was a 50 minute flight so can't complain.

[barry lloyd]

Yes rumour is that the EMB 190 is most likely the aircraft of choice for KLM/AF.
The Fokker 100s must have a lot of hours and landings on them by now (the true measure of an aircraft's life cycle), and the fact that the original manufacturer went out of business 11 years ago won't help. However, I suspect that the comfort levels (specifically the seat pitch) on the EMB 190 are unlikely to match up those on the F100, and I hope there will be enough underfloor baggage space! The limited underfloor baggage space on the F100 is one of the reasons why baggage so often goes missing on KLM. About 70% of passengers flying on KLM on regional flights from the UK are in transit elsewhere, (as evidenced by other comments on this thread), and thus the checked baggage levels tend to be higher than is normally the case on other short-hauls.