KLM refusing to give cash refund and lying to credit card company when dispute was raised

fern20

Hi, 
I had a flight booked with KLM flying out in April but due to Covid-19 this wasn't possible and was cancelled.  When I contacted KLM directly to get a my money back I was told the only options were to receive a voucher or change my flight dates.  When I enquired about the European law which states that customers are entitled to their money back for cancelled flights I was told that this law had been waived and to write to customer services if I wanted to continue down that route.  I saw I wasn't going to get anywhere speaking directly to KLM so said I would need to consider whether I wanted a voucher or to reschedule as an excuse to hang up and phoned my credit card company to open a dispute to get my money back that way.  I've since found out that KLM have told my credit card company that I accepted a voucher (which I haven't) and so the original flight charge was loaded back onto my card.  I'm now wondering if KLM tried this with anyone else (lying to a credit card company so they don't need to refund the cash and because I haven't actually agreed to it they haven't sent me a voucher either) and whether there is an authority I can report this to.  I'm not sure if this is the right place to raise this but hoped that I might be able to get some advice.
Thanks in advance for your help!

Life__Goes__On

Complain to your bank stating you never accepted a voucher, and ask for what evidence they used in the reversal.
(Was it a debit or credit card did you pay KLM directly)

safe_hands2

That's interesting. I was told on phone same as you - no cash refund possible. When I said this was breaking the law, the customer service assistant was apologetic and said they were trying to get management to listen to complaints and change their policy. They have since changed their policy and are now processing cash refunds.......but only for flights cancelled after 15th May!
I have applied to my bank for chargeback. Will see how I get on. Which are also looking for customer experiences of struggling to get flight refunds and they are going to raise a complaint with CAA. 

Dave_WP

A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO GET CASH REFUNDS
I had a similar experience with KLM where my return flight to Amsterdam was cancelled on 31st March.  After several attempts, this morning I received a cash fund for my cancelled flight after being offered and even receiving a refund vouchers.

My approach was to use the airline regulation route and find the dispute resolution service for my airline, in my case KLM.  https dashboard.aviationadr.eu.  I duly completed the complaint form including the responses I had received from KLM rejecting my request for a cash refund and stating it was their policy to provide vouchers.  KLM continued to reject my claim, but I defended by claim by quoting the youtube video of the Downing Street press conference of 4th June where Grant Shapps said it was government policy that airlines should make cash refunds if this what the customer wanted.  The adjudicator upheld my complaint and this morning I received a refund to my credit card as the adjudicator's decisions are binding on airlines.

movilogo

Airlines are just taking chances by intimidating the customers. They have to refund customers if flight is cancelled. 
Just keep on asking for full refund refuse all bribes of voucher. The most persistent customers will get refund finally. 

00fishrach

We are in a very similar situation. 

We had a fully Cash refundable KLM flight ticket which we cancelled after they honoured our original flight booking which they cancelled with 72 hours notice leaving us stranded at Amsterdam airport (with an 18 month old!!) in mid March. 

For the past 16 weeks I’ve chased KLM customer service for this refund knowing I’m completely entitled to it. I’ve finally now got a refund code but on the last phone call there is no record of the refund but they can see the claim code... I really feel like they are stalling for time. 

My plan is to give them another 48 hours to return my call after their ‘investigation’ and take it through the credit card company. 

It’s good to hear some people have had luck with getting their money back.