Delta Tumi business class kit changes & KLM Viktor & Rolf comparison

Having just this week returned from a visit to Sweden, that turned out to be very informative vis-à-vis Delta & Skyteam, I wanted to share one of the simplest bits that really does not have much to do with the journey itself (much more on the trip later on over the next few weeks).

First the Tumi change. A kit is more than about the one time use. The airlines may not intend them that way but at the same time a re-purposed kit does remind you again and again about the trip you got it on so maybe there is a thought to that (honestly I have never asked). Personally I use old kits from YEARS ago. My old nice big blue one holds my laptop cords. My old NWA one holds travel stuff that fits perfect into that one. My old ugly red barrel ones from Delta hold my car GPS & mount (gosh I am glad those are gone).

So now on to what has changed in the Delta Tumi kit. In the past, as you can see above, we were given a one time clear shoe shine polisher. When I say one time it was really one time. The quality was not all that but I will say I have used these a time or two both “in flight” that is directly after a flight as well as saving them for a quick fix when I had been lazy and need a quick shine. Delta kits are all the same so “girls and boys” all get the same kit and stuff inside.

That polisher has now been replaced with a polish cloth for your phone or tablet or screen. It is an EXCELLENT quality and works VERY well and I will be saving and reusing it. I can see the logic of the change as everyone has a use for this cloth (even if you just use it to clean the IFE at your seat).

Another thing that has changed is how thick the tissues you get are i.e. the quality is much lower. You can see by the photo the difference as both before and now you get a much thinner product as both packs contain 3 / 2 ply sheets each!

So here is the current full contents of the Tumi:

Eye shade and socks
Delta Pen std size
Electronics Cloth
3 Tissue’s
Hand cleaner tissue
Lip balm gel & hand moisturizer
Ear plugs
Toothbrush & paste & floss / toothpick

Final note on the contents of the Tumi kit. The toothbrush is nothing amazing and really low quality but the tooth paste is a good travel size that you can use for the better part of a week. Not just that, it is Crest and tastes good. Plus, I will say, the Tumi kit itself is very nice and strong enough to be re-purposed after flight.

Let’s now contrast this. I don’t think I can say very much good about the KLM one. First the contents:

Eye shade and socks
Mini KLM Pen
Lip balm
Ear plugs
Toothbrush & paste
comb

The only thing missing from the photo above is a pair of OK one time use socks with nubbins (I used them – one of the few things I use from most kits). As you can see the quality and quantity of just about everything is not quite on par with the Tumi. Having said that, I like the real chap stick type lip moisturizer WAY more than the worthless gel that Delta provides in the Tumi kit (how that made it out of focus group I will never know – it is just NASTY). However, the tooth paste tube is only good for a few times and the taste (menthol – yuck)  is not as nice as the Crest one.

What about re-purposing the Viktor & Rolf. Well, don’t expect it to hold very much or to last very long. The edge material is very cheap vinyl. I guess you could put some phone charger cords or other smallish bits in it but it is too large to be a useful small kit and yet not big enough to be a useful large kit.

I guess one trump KLM has over Delta is the nice little Delft Blue house full of gin. Now if Delta could include a Woodford Reserve bourbon in each Tumi kit, that would be just enough to put it over the top! 😉

Overall I would say Delta and Tumi have done much better and other than the lip balm, just has a good quality product that is a pleasure to use in-flight as well as after flight! – René
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