Heineken draft beer on KLM flights?

By Editorial
Posted in Flight tickets
July 4, 2016

Imagine a nice cool draft beer during your flight from Amsterdam to Bangkok? Future music? Well, not really. KLM and Heineken have succeeded in offering draft beer on flights.

However, it will take some time before all passengers can order a draft beer. And we doubt whether it will ever be a fact on flights to the Far East.

According to Heineken, it was a great effort to develop a beer tap for flights, because the air pressure in an airplane is low.

According to a designer from Heineken, it was a big puzzle: “We had to make an entire tap installation in the smallest trolley they had, with the tap, the beer, the cooling and the compressor for the air pressure. But no matter how we tried, we kept one part each time. You can't do without a tap, you can do without beer and to tap it you need pressure, so a compressor. We had to leave the cooling behind with a heavy heart.”

According to Heineken, this does not mean that passengers will receive lukewarm beer. The kegs are delivered to Schiphol cooled. “The tap trolley is actually a large thermos. The beer remains well below five degrees Celsius. In one test, we were still at 3,5 degrees after seven hours.”

KLM has announced that draft beer will not be offered on every flight in the future. “We will stick to special events for now.”

15 responses to “Heineken draft beer on KLM flights?”

  1. Kampen butcher shop says up

    Ever experienced with KLM that they claimed to have forgotten to stock up on beer for the flight. (Bangkok-Amsterdam) Was my last flight with KLM.

  2. Daniel VL says up

    Brussels Airlines reported yesterday that it will serve fries and chocolate on certain flights.

  3. Daniel M says up

    Just imagine… If that comes true… If some passengers imagine themselves in an air cafe… If alcohol checks are held in the arrivals hall… Just imagine…

    I don't want any problems and would prefer to avoid such flights. The existing range of drinks during the long flights is more than sufficient in my opinion.

    Daniel VL's “announcement” also surprises me. It will probably be small portions and for a fee.

  4. Fransamsterdam says up

    The introduction should have taken place on July 2, on a flight to Curaçao. Hence the media offensive or advertising campaign last week.
    However, our national pride did not complete the certification in time, it was discovered at the last minute.
    Unfortunately, maybe a peanut butter sandwich?
    Amazing KLM…

  5. ruud says up

    The beer comes from a large thermos.
    Is that something different than a somewhat large beer can?

  6. Jan says up

    seems like a bad idea unless KLM wants me to fly with an airline from the Middle East as a loyal customer from now on 🙂

  7. Leo says up

    I don't think KLM will do this at all. Of course, such an aircraft should not become a flying bar. Already enough incidents with travelers who have drunk too much alcohol (already at the airport). The current range of drinks is more than adequate in my opinion

  8. Leny says up

    Why is it necessary to drink beer and other even spirits on an airplane? Should be banned. It's bad for your body. It's better to drink water on an airplane, it's better because the air is too dry (I really like a beer) and you won't be bothered by drunk people.

    • wibar says up

      Well, why not ban younger children on long flights. The shouting and the obvious unwillingness of parents in some situations to limit their children in such a way that they do not cause a nuisance to other passengers is a thorn in my side.
      It's just not about how you think something is better for others, but about what those people want or don't want with their bodies. healthy living is possible, but does not have to be a goal for everyone. fortunately we have the freedom to make that choice ourselves. My point is that you are all paying guests of the airline. everyone with the same rights within their purchased ticket class. And that with many people with different opinions about what they like in a small space, nuisance is unfortunately inevitable. (maybe everyone requires a sleeping pill would be a good solution lol).
      The crucial point is TE; too much alcohol causes nuisance, too much nagging and shouting is annoying, etcetera. I think that beer is not one of the high alcoholic drinks and since high alcoholic drinks are readily available, the effect is not appreciably worse. the point who checks whether someone has had enough? This is therefore the responsibility of the cabin crew. Proper training and agreements on how to regulate this are unavoidable in order to limit the weaker brothers and sisters who are unable to keep their own measure. For me, beer is fine on a long flight, although personally a good glass of whiskey appeals to me more.

  9. Hans says up

    Heineken is REALLY not my beer, despite the fact that I previously lived less than 7 km from the brewery in Zoeterwoude. In addition, the tapping of a beer by all those changing flight attendants is certainly no guarantee that a glass full of blond foamy beer with a non-collapsing foam head of two fingers high is tapped and served. There is plenty of choice when it comes to alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks. No, this is a completely unnecessary frivolity for me.

    • Gringo says up

      I agree with you that pouring a good beer requires a certain skill. Even call it a sport given the many beer tap competitions.
      As a referee I came to many football clubs in the canteen to drink a beer afterwards. Draft quality often sadly bad and in the end I only wanted a bottle of beer. In many (brown) cafes, on the other hand, it is usually good.

      Here in Thailand I will not drink draft beer because of hygiene. I do not trust the cleaning of the pipes, although I am always assured that it is all right in Thailand.

      Just a bottle and then possibly pour it into a glass yourself, because if the service does that, it usually goes the English way, no foam!

  10. Rinse, Face Wash says up

    I'm in favor of no booze on board, I've seen enough of that. If you can't go a flight without booze then it seems to me you have a problem.

  11. Christian H says up

    KLM should not promote alcohol. I have flown a lot with KLM, but only with KLM have I experienced a number of times that drunk passengers caused such a nuisance that they had to be handed over to the police upon arrival.
    But yes, as long as the plane is full!

  12. Peter says up

    My experience is that the link between alcohol and aggression has been made, .... that's why you shouldn't make it too tasty, I think.

  13. Frank says up

    There are already enough people who drink too much, why should we also serve draft beer? In addition, the staff must receive tap training, because we don't want a dead beer or one with a triple foam head and it could cause a lot of problems during the flight due to dissatisfied customers and untrained staff. Never mind, have a can if you can't wait until you get to Thailand.


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