Question Regarding Claim Against KLM

lenswipe

Hi guys

Sorry if this isn't the right place for this (I'm new here, be gentle ).

Basically, to cut a long story short, I was on a flight back from Boston to Edinburgh (change at Amsterdam). My flight out from Boston was delayed by 6 hours making me miss the leg from Amsterdam to Edinburgh and through a number of !!!!-ups along the way I was stuck in London City(they tried to re-route me through there back to Edinburgh) overnight and had to take the next day off work.

This all happened in January and I contacted KLM at the time and have heard nothing since. I have been in touch via facebook to ask when I can expect a response and basically got the reply of "whenever we feel like it.

I notice from a post on the money saving expert blog (I would link to it but I'm not allowed as a new user) that I am entitled to claim up to £470 for delays over a certain amount (for which I more than qualify). As yet, nearly 2 months later I've heard zip from KLM.

I have just posted on their facebook wall for a second time, although I doubt I'll get any meaningful response.

What do I do now?

Here is the letter I originally sent them(uploaded as a PDF actually because they don't provide a mailing address):

Dear Sir/Madam:
I write to inform you of my experiences whilst travelling with KLM from Amsterdam to Edinburgh between
Sunday 4th January and Monday 5th January.
After my inbound flight to Amsterdam from Boston being delayed by 6 hours due to weather, I was
rebooked on connecting flights by a KLM agent via London City. I asked if a direct option was available
and was informed that it was not and was handed a KLM voucher offering one of: 2000 SkyMiles, 10 euros
food allowance or 15 euros of in-flight duty free.
After spending several hours sitting in Amsterdam airport (feeling quite unwell) awaiting my connecting
CityJet flight to London City I was informed by the gate agent that I would need to check-in again with
my luggage at London City airport. At this point, I asked the gate agent if my luggage was in fact checked
on to this flight and was informed most emphatically that it was.
During the boarding process I was repeatedly requested to check my hand baggage in to the hold, however
since my hand baggage contained several delicate gifts from my fiancee as well as my laptop and tablet
I was reluctant to do this. Upon informing the gate agent(s) of this fact they asked if I had a plastic
bag which I could use to remove the delicate/valuable items from my hand baggage in order to fit in the
overhead bins and check the hand baggage into the planes hold. I informed them that I did not and they
reluctantly allowed me to take my hand baggage on to plane with the instruction to ask the cabin crew
if they had anywhere that it could be stowed(thankfully they were able to accommodate it). This has
never been an issue in the past, however I suspect the extremely short-haul nature of the flight(s) and
consequently the small size of the plane(s) in question may have been a factor with this.
After landing in London, I met up with another passenger with whom I had spoken on the flight there and
discovered that he was in a similar situation, having travelled there from Boston via Amsterdam. After
standing for several minutes awaiting our luggage to check-in with, we made our way to the luggage halls
arrivals desk only to be told that(contrary to what we had been told in Amsterdam by a member of KLM
staff and the gate agent) our luggage had likely been checked all the way through to Edinburgh. Upon
hearing this we both immediately rushed to the check-in desks, only to be told that during the time we
had spent awaiting our baggage, our flight had closed and we could no longer board(I was also informed
at this point by the check-in agent that he was unsure of the location of my luggage but suspected it may
still be in Amsterdam). Upon hearing this we were directed to the KLM/CityJet information desk where
we were handed a phone to call the KLM call centre. A KLM call centre agent initially stated that we
could be re-booked on a flight to Edinburgh via Amsterdam, after informing the agent that neither of us
were prepared to do this having just come from Amsterdam, we were rebooked on to another flight to
Edinburgh.
However, after waiting several hours, pre-security and several hours post-security on Sunday evening it was
announced that my flight was cancelled. At this point, I communicated yet another delay to my parents
(who had spent their entire Sunday in Edinburgh airport at this point) via google hangout message (my
phone had long since run out of battery), causing them to have to turn around and make the four hour
drive back home again. Myself, and all other passengers were accommodated in a Premier Inn and booked
on to a flight for the following morning (I requested that my flight be changed to Aberdeen rather than
Edinburgh as Aberdeen is much closer to where I live by a factor of about 2 hours).
After arriving at the Premier Inn I had to get in touch with my manager at work and explain that I would
be unable to be at work the following day (Monday). My parents were also unable to be at work after
arriving home on Monday morning at 4am after a wasted day in Edinburgh airport. During my stay at the
Premier Inn, I found myself having to purchase toiletries from reception such as a razor, shaving cream
and a toothbrush (since my own toiletries contained liquids and gels, they were packed in my checked
luggage which no member of airport or airline staff was able to locate).
After arriving at the airport the following morning and checking in, I once again asked the check-in agent
if my luggage had been located and was informed that it had not but that they thought it was still in
Amsterdam and that I may be better served contacting the gate agent and/or filing a missing luggage
claim at my final destination. Upon hearing this, I reluctantly went back through security (unpacking and
repacking my hand baggage for the fourth time in approximately 36 hours). Upon arrival at the gate I
was approached by a member of CityJet staff and once again requested to stow my baggage containing
delicate and expensive items in the hold(although after discussion with the gate dispatcher I was allowed
to take it on board the plane at the discretion of the crew). I enquired as to the status of my checked
baggage and was informed by the gate agent (after a search on his computer) that there was no record
of it on the London City airport computer system at all and it therefore must still be in Amsterdam! At
this point, I boarded my flight and, upon arrival in Aberdeen contacted the FlyBe desk (KLM/CityJet
partner) to file a missing luggage claim.
Upon arriving home two hours later, I called the KLM call centre and (after spending 20-25 minutes on
hold) spoke to a Mr M. Garcia(REF: 7750545001). Mr Garcia was able to offer me a refund of £125.94
for both the expenditure of myself and of my parents during their pointless and wasted journeys to and
from Edinburgh, not to mention the expenses incurred for food etc. which brings me to the point of this
letter.
I write formally to request the maximum £470 compensation for my excessive delay when travelling.
Additionally, I would also like to take this opportunity to request an alternative form of recompense to the
vouchers offered in Amsterdam. As I was feeling unwell at the time, I felt disinclined to purchase food, I
had no desire to purchase 15 euros in-flight duty free (my connecting flights had no duty free anyway). At this
point, I have also yet to receive the £125.94 refund for expenses (although I was advised by Mr Garcia
that this may take up to 21 days).
Having flown with KLM before and been very impressed at the standard of service, I find myself feeling
very disappointed and let down by all of this.
Looking forward to hearing from you
Yours sincerely,
Robert Main

tomtontom

Your letter to KLM is lots of ramble - stick to the key points, not your life story.

As the reason for the delay/ cancellation was the weather you are not entitled to the statutory compensation. You are entitled to care during your delayed journey, which would be the £125 they have already agreed to.

Write again but be more succinct - as per your conversation with Mr Garcia, please reimburse £125 to account number xxxxxxxx. Failure to pay this amount within 14 days will result in a small claims action being issued. That's all you need to say.

lenswipe

Thanks, but I was under the impression that I was also entitled to compensation for the massive inconvenience(did I mention I had to miss a day of work?) of being stuck in London for ~12 hours

foxtrotoscar_2

You should claim on your travel insurance.

unholyangel

lenswipe wrote: »

Thanks, but I was under the impression that I was also entitled to compensation for the massive inconvenience(did I mention I had to miss a day of work?) of being stuck in London for ~12 hours

I believe it only covers situations that are within the airlines control.

In fact, the MSE's guide to flight delays specifically says claims for bad weather are a "no go".

On the bright side you got off easy. There are people that have been stuck in London their whole lives