Looking for feedback on recent KLM and Finnair flights to Europe in Economy

[kd_traveller]

I have a return Business Class flight with Etihad to Dublin but now Ireland has compulsory hotel quarantine for a variety of countries including transit through the UAE (and other Gulf Countries).  However, given the cost of hotel quarantine is nearly Euro2,000 it will probably be cheaper to book a new flight with either KLM or Finnair as both of these do not transit through any countries on the Irish quarantine list, although this could change!

I usually fly Business Class these days due to a back condition, but as I will have to buy a new flight, I am wondering if anyone has flown recently on either KLM or Finnair in economy and how busy was the economy section and if there is any real need to fly Business Class if there is only a handful of passengers on each flight.  Also, both airlines are still charging for reserving a seat so is there is any need to reserve a seat if flights are not busy? Finally if flights are not busy, are cabin crew relaxed about moving around seating within the same class and if available being able to use 3 seats to sleep across?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[Kandinski]

IMHO; it's cheating for whatever reason thats one of the main contribution the CV19 virus is still alive.

[kd_traveller]

2 hours ago, Kandinski said:

IMHO; it's cheating for whatever reason thats one of the main contribution the CV19 virus is still alive.

Maybe I have not been clear enough, there is NO hotel quarantine requirement for a person coming from Thailand to Ireland, only if you transit through UAE, Qatar, Germany, France and other designated countries (Thailand is not a designated country).  If I transit through Finland or the Netherlands there is NO hotel quarantine requirement as like Thailand they are not designated countries, I am not cheating any system.  I still need a COVID test and have to quarantine at my home in Ireland until a further COVID test in Ireland shows negative.  https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/coronavirus/general-covid-19-travel-advisory/

Simply put Thailand to Ireland via UAE = hotel Quarantine and Euro 2,000 charge for hotel Quarantine 

Thailand to Ireland via Finland or Netherlands = no Euro 2,000 charge for hotel Quarantine as not required.

The question I am trying to answer is whether I really need to buy another Business Class ticket or is there an abundance of space in economy.

Edited April 30, 2021 by kd_traveller

[petehoax]

no one can tell you for sure how busy the flight will be. but there's an very high chance that the flight will be mostly empty. and if it's empty, it should be 0 problem to move around to get a good seat (but stay in your seat until boarding is completed, then you can move around as you want. 
what you can do: the airline most likely released their quarterly earning report in the last few days. check their average flight occupancy on international routes, i assume all airlines publish that stat. For Swiss Airlines, it was 27% in the first quarter (which is obviously a disaster for the airline, great for the passenger). 

[davidge]

No first hand experience but numerous reports I’ve seen say that both airlines are pretty empty out of Bangkok and a bit busier on the second leg.

KLM can be a bit zealous on paperwork.

[kd_traveller]

I have now returned to Ireland with Finnair and I was delighted that I did not splurge and pay for Business Class!  The flight might have had about 50 passengers on an Airbus A350-900 which has a capacity I think of 336. 

Ironically there were proportionately more passengers in Business class where it might have been 1/3 or more full.  The back section had less than ten people which can seat around 135 and the middle section about 30 people or less in an area that seats 162.

In effect every passenger had a few rows to themselves and Finnair crew were relaxed about people moving to different seats after take off. 

Meal choices are reduced (take it or leave it in economy) and not all lounges are open so on this occasion I don't think I would have gained much by flying Business Class.

The Helsinki to Dublin leg was a bit busier (it is only a once a week flight now) but I still had a row to myself and nobody behind me either.

So in summary I was glad I did not pay the extra for business class as it would not have been worth it on this occasion.

[jaynewcastle]

Thanks for updating your thread

Have to admit I find trying to sleep stretched out across 3-4 economy seats just as uncomfortable, as trying to sleep sitting upright in an economy seat in full recline.

[Ben75]

Had no issues on KLM economy lately, very empty flights and can always move around. If you have back problems maybe try to take two ~6 hour flights with some other airline just in case it's not that empty and gets uncomfortable?

[Ben75]

Quote

Maybe I was not clear as it seems to confuse @SkippyRoo. If you have back problems (as OP @kd_traveller mentioned) you get serious pains when sitting too long. For me that is around the 6-7 hours, so any 10+ hour flight becomes hell fast even if you walk now and then. That's why I prefer to cut my flight into sub-6 hour stretches if possible. So I will usually fly to Asia over the middle east (dubai/aby dhabi/doha) as it cuts it in two ~6 hour flights instead of flying over Singapore which means a 12-13 hour horror flight...