Baggage allowance on 'Basic' fare with Flying Blue Silver status
Looking at flights on KLM, Basic fares with my Flying Blue Sliver status get me 1 x small bag (40 x 30 x 15) and 1 x 23kg checked bag but NOT 1 x hand baggage (55 x 35 x 25).
Basic fares must be new because I'm sure the cheapest fares previously were Light and always included 1 x small bag and 1 x hand baggage. Strange how with my Silver status I get a free checked bag but NOT hand baggage 🤷.
Anyway, I plan to only be traveling with 1 x hand baggage (55 x 35 x 25) as that's the free allowance I get on the airline I'll be flying before this (TUI).
Technically, I could just check my bag in and there is a 3 hour layover in AMS so plenty of time for it to make my connecting flight, however I NEVER check bags in unless absolutely necessary !!!
So what are the chances that with my Silver status I'll just be able to walk on the flight with my 1 x hand baggage ? I've read somewhere else that Silver is boarding Zone 3 (is this correct?) and that they don't check hand baggage until Zone 4/5.
I guess I could risk it on both flights and I suppose the worse that could happen is that they just make me check my bag at the gate instead ?!?! Would KLM ever charge fines for something like this like Ryanair for example ?