KLM Lost our luggage, agreed to refund costs then never did...

airchie2

We recently flew to Brazil to visit family. We booked through BA but had a flight cancelled (that's a separate thread in the forum here) and BA rebooked us with KLM the following day. Flights went well enough but they left our luggage in Schipol and eventually got our bags to us 3 days later. So we had to buy clothes etc to wear which we did and kept the receipts etc as advised.

After we returned, we submitted the expenses and they were accepted by KLM and a customer services rep contacted us asking for a heap of information, some of which I didn't even know what it was.

They asked for:

- A procuration letter duly signed by <my wife> accepting the compensation in my bank account - A copy of each of your identity card or passport.

- Birth certificates for the kids

- Your family booklet

I have no idea what a family booklet is and judging by their responses, they don't either since they couldn't explain it.

However, I was not willing to send bank details, signatures, photo ID, birth certs etc over insecure email and asked for a secure means of transferring it to them. I suggested I could have uploaded to the website linked in the "track my claim" link but it explicitly states "Please do not include sensitive information, like bank details". I also asked for some information about how they'd be processed and stored as I think I'd be entitled to under GDPR.

After several messages back and forth where the rep on the other end didn't seem to understand what I was asking for, or that my wife was a woman and shouldn't be referred to as "Mr", they sent the following:

" I inform you that without these documents, we are not able to proceed with the payment.

Therefore, I cannot respond positively to your request. We look forward to welcoming you on board our flights again soon and hope that in future everything will be to your entire satisfaction. "

Any emails I've sent since then have not had any response.

My questions are:

1. Does this look like standard "fob-off" tactics or is asking for a secure means of transferring sensitive info too much of an ask?

2. What options are open to me to reclaim my expenses?

3. Should I also be claiming for the hassle of their terrible customer service (bearing in mind Martin's advice about not over-claiming)?

Thanks in advance.

airchie2

If it's helpful, I can paste the full email exchanges I had with their reps, with names and specific details redacted etc?

NoodleDoodleMan

"However, I was not willing to send bank details, signatures, photo ID, birth certs etc over insecure email and asked for a secure means of transferring it to them"

Perhaps you could send my Recorded Delivery to them at this department in their UK HQ ?

https://www.klm.co.uk/information/legal/about-klm

Brie

Why would they need passports and birth certificates for the kids?  

As for sending them securely....scan the things they need and copy them into a word document that you password protect.  Email that to them saying the password is something they would know but isn't visible in the email.  Original flight number or something.

As for sending bank details I can never understand why people get so worried about these.  Your bank details are in lots of places, we all used to send them out every time we posted a cheque.  They are in the bank statements posted to you.  So your details are already flying around everywhere.

airchie2

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Perhaps you could send my Recorded Delivery to them at this department in their UK HQ ?

https://www.klm.co.uk/information/legal/about-klm

I would be willing to send them copies that way but not unless they confirmed they'd be willing to receive them and they wouldn't just be left lying around. They're not even responding to my messages now...

airchie2

Brie said:

Why would they need passports and birth certificates for the kids?

Your guess is as good as mine.

Almost feels like they were trying to put me off from sending anything at all...

Brie said:

As for sending them securely....scan the things they need and copy them into a word document that you password protect.  Email that to them saying the password is something they would know but isn't visible in the email.  Original flight number or something.

That's not a bad idea, or a password protected zip file etc.

I'll suggest it if they actually respond again but they've stopped responding.

I get the feeling they're going to ignore me, hoping I go away and they can save a quid or two.

Brie said:

As for sending bank details I can never understand why people get so worried about these.  Your bank details are in lots of places, we all used to send them out every time we posted a cheque.  They are in the bank statements posted to you.  So your details are already flying around everywhere.

I'm not too worried about sending bank details but I'd rather not splash them around unnecessarily.

Particularly not in an email with my photo ID, signature etc also attached.

NoodleDoodleMan

airchie2 said:

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Perhaps you could send my Recorded Delivery to them at this department in their UK HQ ?

https://www.klm.co.uk/information/legal/about-klm

I would be willing to send them copies that way but not unless they confirmed they'd be willing to receive them and they wouldn't just be left lying around. They're not even responding to my messages now...

Just a suggestion.

If you send RD they can't claim not to have taken receipt of documents.

I would photocopy passport pages and birth certificates - they don't need originals to acknowlege that you are attempting to meet their instructions reference these documents.

I've heard through the travel trade that KLM can be "unhelpful" to deal with where compensation is involved.

airchie2

NoodleDoodleMan said:

I've heard through the travel trade that KLM can be "unhelpful" to deal with where compensation is involved.

I'd certainly confirm that is my experience.

Anyone know what my next steps are?

Should I go the small claims court route?