MD-11 says thank you and farewell - last commercial flight over Holland with KLM

When the aircraft was introduced in 1990 it was a state-of-the-art aircraft, a development of the earlier DC-10 model. The MD-11 was considerably more modern and had a larger fuselage and engines. In addition, the MD-11 had a digital glass panel in the cockpit, which meant that they no longer needed three people in the cockpit. Flight engineer's days were numbered. On December 20th, 1990, the first commercial flight took place, with Finnair as the airline and Helsinki-Canary Islands the premiere route. Several airlines ordered the MD-11, including SAS, who subsequently later chose to cancel their order. The biggest airlines to place orders were American Airlines, Delta, and Swissair. The last passenger aircraft was delivered to the Belgian airline Sabena in 1998, and the last MD-11 cargo version was delivered to Lufthansa in 2001.

KLM Farewell MD-11 11-11-2014

The last commercial flights

By 2014, only KLM flew The MD-11 with passenger traffic, and it was also the Dutch airline that made the last long-haul commercial flight between Montreal and Amsterdam. On November 11th, 2014 (the choice of date, 11/11, was no coincidence), the last flights with passengers on board took off. The day's flights consisted of three, low altitude, circular flights over Holland, taking off from Amsterdam. The tickets for the three flights sold out in only 20 minutes despite over 700 seats being available. BusinessClass.co.uk was on the first flight of the day, flight number KL 9895, departing at 10.30am. We also got the opportunity to experience one of the last ever flights of the MD-11 in business class, with seat number 05C.

KLM World Business Class

There were a lot of excited travellers who had queued up since check-in opened at 8:30am, at check-in area 6 in Schiphol airport, just outside Amsterdam. Part of the departure hall was today devoted entirely to the MD-11 flights. Business class passengers were to check-in at the regular check-in desk, but otherwise received the normal Sky Priority benefits, like fast track through security and lounge access, even though in the end there was not much time to visit the lounge.

The check-in at Schiphol The aircraft was parked in a restricted area of the airport, which meant a bus gate was to be used. Everything was done according to the rules, with priority boarding for passengers in business class at gate C22, where a private bus was waiting outside. There was some sighs in the gate lounge as rows 1-6 were invited to board while others had to wait. On this morning, priority boarding was quite an advantage as those of us who boarded the aircraft early were able to talk to the staff and take pictures at our leisure. At the gate we were presented with MD-11 bags, containing informational material, a bottle of water, and some snacks for the flight. Business class on KLM’s MD-11 consisted of four rows divided into two cabins, with two rows at the front, then the galley and the aisle, followed by two further rows. The division was a little strange, having two rows in a 2-2-2 configuration at the front, while in the rear cabin was a 2-3-2 configuration, with only one row on the right side. In any case, there were 24 seats in total. Business class was a rather exclusive part of the aircraft compared to the 270 seats that were in economy and economy comfort.

KLM World Business Class on the MD-11 There are many reasons to be nostalgic when an old friend is put to rest, and this really was the end of an era as the MD-11 aircraft had KLM’s oldest business class seats on-board. It is a seat which is quite simple in its design, especially compared to KLM’s new business class seat. Seat design has progressed steadily over recent years. On the old seats, legroom was fairly small at 60 inches. I however, had a seat next to the emergency exit, which meant there was over two feet to the wall in front of me. The crew was in great spirits and were almost as excited as the passengers. For many it was a day of nostalgia and farewells, and one could find members of the cabin crew with both 14 and 17 years of experience with this type of aircraft.

Happy pursers welcoming guests

Europe's biggest port from 300 meters

We punctually left our parking space at 10.30am and took off a few minutes later towards the south. An interesting detail about the MD-11 is the electronic door that opens upwards. When the door is open, it tucks away into a cavity in the ceiling. The doorway is also much broader than in many newer aircraft. Another interesting detail is that the purser's workplace is located next to the second door, complete with a desk and swivel chair.

Canapés and champagne in business class Once in the air, a short service began. Champagne and orange juice were served in business class, followed by canapés and mini desserts, and lastly coffee. The flight took us from Schiphol towards the Dutch coast, where the weather was perfect and there was not a cloud in sight. Rotterdam, especially, gave a fabulous view of the sizeable harbour, with boats, oil tankers, and a little further away, a beautiful beach. As we made our way back to the hinterland the weather became cloudier. After Utrecht and Lelystad passed, there was not much to see, and Amsterdam, with its famous canals, disappeared completely behind the clouds. Many, however, greatly enjoyed the views that were on display between 2000 and 7000 feet. To circulate between the berths in the port of Rotterdam at 300 meters was a thrilling and unique experience.

Port of Rotterdam During the flight, a book was distributed containing pictures and information on the MD-11, a nice souvenir to take home. An hour later, at 11:45am, we were back on dry ground. Most frequent travellers usually find it embarrassing when passengers applaud after landing, as if it were an achievement that the pilot managed to bring down the plane, but this time it was the crew who took command as they ignited a loud applause, complete with whistling and cheering, for the aircraft that they would today step off for the last time.

Old meets new, who meets even older

On the ground there was a 20 minute opportunity to take photos of the aircraft from the outside, along with the additional MD-11 parked next to it. Next to this was an old DC-3, which passengers in business class had an exclusive opportunity to board. This aircraft was involved in D-Day and dropped paratroopers in Normandy, but is now used primarily for charter flights. The Dutch Queen has even flown on the aircraft. As one aircraft disappears, a new one takes its place. In October 2015, KLM will get delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. We are now looking forward with excitement to see what this means for us as passengers.

MD-11 - Aviation history