Cancelled Flight help

Emzfly

Hi 
I decided to come here to see if anyone could offer any advice with which step to take next regarding a cancelled connecting flight. Flight from Dublin to Schiphol Airport. Schiphol to Duabi airport.

Flight from Dublin Airport to Schiphol Airport was cancelled on our way to the airport. Party of 4 adults and 2 kids. 
We booked with another airline because at this stage KLM cancelled the flight and offered no alternative flight. We wanted to make the connecting flight to Dubai in Schiphol (especially after the 3 hour drive to Dublin Airport)
We paid £800 in flights, bags and late check in fee with Ryanair to make the flight to Duabi.
As we waited in the queue to board an alert came through to say they were putting on another KLM  flight Schiohol to Dubai. Obviously if we had of just went home there was no way we would have made this original flight.
So we are out of pocket. I have contacted KLM Air France directly and they offered an 'unused portion of the tickets or reminbursement of an alternative transport.' They automatically put money into my account to cover flight and it was a low amount.
I contacted ADR and they responded 'where the airline is an EU carrier the departing or arrival airport must be within the UK in order to fall within our jurisdiction. Unfortunately you have stated that your departure airport is Dublin Ireland and arrival airport is Dubai Airport therefore we will not be able to progress yout complaint.'

I replied the flight which I have lodgrf a claim is within the scope of EU regulation 261/2004 but ADR can only handle claims against KLM if the subject flight departed or arrive within the UK.

Sorry for the long winded passage but I wanted to see if anyone had any advice where to go with this now?

Thank you in advance.

Emma

Wonka_2

Welcome to the forum - in order for anyone to help it's probably worth adding some dates/times and some clarity on destinations (you mention KLM adding another AMS-DXB flight but that wouldn't have helped if you weren't able to get to AMS.

There've been some strange things going on at Schiphol over the past months and as the 'home' airline then KLM have been significantly affected 

Did you have travel insurance ? And what have they said ?

eskbanker

Emzfly said:

Flight from Dublin Airport to Schiphol Airport was cancelled on our way to the airport. Party of 4 adults and 2 kids. 
We booked with another airline because at this stage KLM cancelled the flight and offered no alternative flight. We wanted to make the connecting flight to Dubai in Schiphol (especially after the 3 hour drive to Dublin Airport)
We paid £800 in flights, bags and late check in fee with Ryanair to make the flight to Duabi.

So KLM contacted you to advise of the cancellation but weren't able or willing to rebook you onto another flight the same day (or at all)?  They're obliged to arrange rerouting under comparable transport conditions, which generally requires an alternative on the same day, unless you were happy to defer to another day.

Emzfly said:

I have contacted KLM Air France directly and they offered an 'unused portion of the tickets or reminbursement of an alternative transport.' They automatically put money into my account to cover flight and it was a low amount.

If they fail to reroute you on the same day but you do so yourself, they're required to reimburse your additional costs incurred in making such alternative arrangements, rather than simply refunding the cost of their cancelled flight.

Emzfly said:

I contacted ADR and they responded 'where the airline is an EU carrier the departing or arrival airport must be within the UK in order to fall within our jurisdiction. Unfortunately you have stated that your departure airport is Dublin Ireland and arrival airport is Dubai Airport therefore we will not be able to progress yout complaint.'

I replied the flight which I have lodgrf a claim is within the scope of EU regulation 261/2004 but ADR can only handle claims against KLM if the subject flight departed or arrive within the UK.

ADR is a generic term for Alternative Dispute Resolution rather than the name of a specific organisation - did you perhaps contact Aviation ADR in particular?  As they've said to you, they're a UK body so won't be able to intervene in a dispute with an EU airline operating an EU route, so you'll need to take this up via the Irish, or perhaps Dutch, equivalent. https://www.flightrights.ie/make-a-complaint/ may be a suitable place to start?

Emzfly

Thank you for your comments above.
I followed that link and unfortunately the Netherlands aviation complaints department only allow you to put a claim in within one year of the disputed flight.
Didn't have travel insurance (big crying face)
Klm did put on another flight but by that time it was too late as we were afraid of not making our connecting flight in Amsterdam to Duabi so we booked our own to make the connecting flight.
Just gutted £1000 down and little compensation to show for it. Really need to make sure I don't forget travel insurance the next time!