Flight delay and cancellation compensation, KLM/AF ONLY

dsp007

It's the second time in a matter of months that I've had a successful claim and all because I didn't let both companies fob me off.So stick to your guns and take the advice of those on this site,who are a godsend.

markythesparky1

18 months ago I bought 2 flights with KLM, under a single reservation number, from Norwich-Amsterdam (Schipol)-Kuala Lumpur. The first plane was late arriving at Norwich Airport. However, when we did eventually board the plane an announcement told us that they had a technical issue and we could not take off until an engineer had carried out an inspection. This compounded the delay time further. I eventually arrived in KL, on the next flight, 8+ hours later. The time allowed for the transfer in Amsterdam was 55 minutes.

KLM has refused to pay compensation, denying it was their fault as the plane taking us from Norwich to Amsterdam was delayed due to bad weather (de-icing of the aircraft). They failed to comment or even acknowledge the technical issue. In their defense, they did issue a £50.00 flight voucher and the usual food and phone vouchers at the time of this incident.

I also had to pay for a third flight again with Malaysian Airline from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi which I missed as a result of the delay at Norwich. I know KLM is not liable for this as it was with another airline.

I believe that:

• If icy conditions prevailed at Schipol Airport, Amsterdam, the plane should have been di-iced sooner and left on time.
• There was a technical fault with the plane which compounded the delay time.
• KLM should allow more than 55 minutes transfer time at (the extremely busy) Schipol Airport, especially in winter, when bad weather is likely.

I’d be grateful if anyone has any thoughts on this matter?

Vauban

I would read the FAQs on page one, as well as search for relevant posts such as "weather".

The failure to de-ice the plane on a previous rotation is irrelevant. Weather is only an extraordinary circumstance if it presents "meteorological conditions incompatible with the operation of the flight concerned".

Write your NBA and then start court action before the two year anniversary of your flight (just in case the Dawson case is lost). You will need to do a lot of reading up if you are going to take this seriously (or hand it over to a NWNF firm for about 30% of your award).

Stu_65

Have just received confirmation from KLM that they are paying me compensation for 11 hour delay. Was travelling with 2 children and KLM are saying they will not pay all of the compensation to my bank account because they can only pay direct to the affected individual's bank accounts. My children don't have a bank account. Anyone come across this situation before and know best way to resolve.

Laura_T

Advice would be appreciated please, as I understood we are eligible for cashback under Martin's guidelines in Flight Delay Compensation doc.

We booked through KLM to fly to Los Angeles and then to return from Las Vegas via Detroit and Amsterdam to Teesside. We were delayed in Detroit for 5 hours, which resulted in missing our connection in Amsterdam, and eventually arriving home 9 hours later than scheduled.

Now KLM are saying that we are ineligible for compensation as this flight was a Delta flight. As far as I am concerned, we booked directly with KLM and Delta is a partner of their's, therefore shouldn't we still be eligible under EU guidelines? As KLM is an EU company.

I'm very confused! But wanting to take this further, as we received such appalling service from Delta staff at Detroit airport. I have tried to complain to KLM and they are just passing me around with this complaint, so feel doubly entitled to some kind of compensation from them!

Any advice would be appreciated, or suggestions on where else I can look to try to find more info on this. Thanks in advance!

Caz3121

Laura_T wrote: »

Now KLM are saying that we are ineligible for compensation as this flight was a Delta flight. As far as I am concerned, we booked directly with KLM and Delta is a partner of their's, therefore shouldn't we still be eligible under EU guidelines? As KLM is an EU company.

As per the FAQs
The claim is against the airline, not the travel agent, not the package holiday company, not the administrator, nor anyone else. AIRLINE ONLY.

dsp007

Stu_65 wrote: »

Have just received confirmation from KLM that they are paying me compensation for 11 hour delay. Was travelling with 2 children and KLM are saying they will not pay all of the compensation to my bank account because they can only pay direct to the affected individual's bank accounts. My children don't have a bank account. Anyone come across this situation before and know best way to resolve.

That is rubbish,I've just been paid out into a joint bank account,by KLM for my Wife,daughter ,her friend and myself,after having supplied the following details;

Please contact me with each adult passenger's full UK bank details, including the IBAN (international bank account number) and BIC/Swift codes.

They were happy to accept one bank account for the whole party.

David_e

dsp007 wrote: »

That is rubbish,I've just been paid out into a joint bank account,by KLM for my Wife,daughter ,her friend and myself,after having supplied the following details;

I've not seen this happen before but, to be fair, it is a claim for each individual so I suspect that they are absolutly within their rights - even if it does result in more work for them and the passengers.

Kpalmer72

I could really do with some advice as to whether KLM are just trying to fob me off with this.

We booked our flight to JFK from Norwich via Amsterdam. Both flights were booked on the same ticket and both were operated by KLM.

The flight from Norwich was delayed by 60 minutes due to sickness of the original pilot. The delay was caused whilst the standby pilot made their way to the airport.

With a connection time of 55 minutes at Amsterdam we were advised that we had missed our connection and we should go to the transfer desk where our onward flight would be rearranged. Once at the desk we were informed that we were booked on a flight to JFK leaving at 1715 rather than the original 0910. A delay of over 7 hours. We were given 10euro vouchers for refreshments and 50 euros off future KLM flights.

We have submitted a claim for 600euro compensation through the KLM website and have today received a response stating that KLM will not be paying the compensation with the following reason:

"As the departure of the delayed flight was from Norwich, which is not a KLM hub and therefore a crew replacement was not readily available, we consider the circumstance of flight KL1502 delay as “exceptional” and therefore outside the airline responsibility, as stated in point 14 of the EU Regulation 261/2004 preface."

My opinion is that as KLM had a standby pilot (albeit clearly not at the airport) this constitutes having replacement crew available and is therefore not "exceptional"

Do people think I have a case to pursue or are KLM right?

Many thanks.

JPears

You have a case, now read thru the FAQ or hand over to NWNF firm.