KLM deliver

[Helol]

Just been reading the thread about BA and them making excuses for not paying up, etc.

I flew KLM, LHR-AMS-JNB and return. My 1320 connecting return flight from AMS to LHR was suddenly cancelled with no explanation, so I was rebooked on the 1715 flight. A bit of a pain, as I had been travelling since 1000 the previous morning. Anyway, the 1715 flight was delayed half an hour but no further delays were forthcoming. I'm quite pragmatic about stuff like this, I accept that crap happens sometimes causing cancellations and all the rest of it, but it's how a company deals with it that matters.

On the 8th June, I duly completed the online KLM form on their website, requesting compensation for the cancelled flight. On the 14 June, I received an email from them saying £219 would be transferred into my bank account on the 15th. It was.

So, credit where credit is due. KLM paid up within a week of me submitting the claim.

[Saintsman]

Helol,

Although KLM paid up, you have short changed yourself. Your flight was from JNB to LHR (with a change in Amsterdam). The regulations state it is the arrival time at your final destination which is used to calculate delay.

Due to the distance flown, if you were over 4 hours late, you are due €600 compensation. You should have claimed for the whole journey and not just the last leg.

[Helol]

Helol,

Although KLM paid up, you have short changed yourself. Your flight was from JNB to LHR (with a change in Amsterdam). The regulations state it is the arrival time at your final destination which is used to calculate delay.

Due to the distance flown, if you were over 4 hours late, you are due €600 compensation. You should have claimed for the whole journey and not just the last leg.
Thanks Saintsman, I'll know next time, although hopefully there won't be a next time! :-)

[flyingfemme]

Due to the distance flown, if you were over 4 hours late, you are due €600 compensation. You should have claimed for the whole journey and not just the last leg.
Just because you can, doesn’t mean you have to........our return Virgin from Chicago was cancelled due to inbound being cancelled. I woke to a text with the news and immediately called them. They put us on the next day’s flight - no biggie, I wasn’t in a hurry. Since it was a pair of reward flights I didn’t see why they should have to pay the full whack so claimed (with receipts) for hotel, good dinner and an extra day’s LHR car parking. They paid up without argument and I thought that was very fair. No bitching about expensive hotel or dinner, just a cheque.
Airlines are businesses and cannot afford to pay compensation of more than the flight cost or more than is “reasonable”. If they don’t play the game then legislation should be used but it they do?

[zed3]

Just heard yesterday that KLM is paying up for a cancelled flight from LBA to AMS and thus a missed AMS DXB connection in May. Mrs zed and myself will get e600 each.

[wiggy]

Flyingfemme...:D (hope that doesn’t come over as a bit Evra’esque)

Helol:

I flew KLM, LHR-AMS-JNB and return. My 1320 connecting return flight from AMS to LHR was suddenly cancelled with no explanation, so I was rebooked on the 1715 flight. A bit of a pain, as I had been travelling since 1000 the previous morning. Anyway, the 1715 flight was delayed half an hour but no further delays were forthcoming..... On the 14 June, I received an email from them saying £219 would be transferred into my bank account on the 15th.....

So can I check my mental model of what went on here:

You flew as passenger on 4 sector long haul/short haul mix of flights with KLM. Despite problems of some sort KLM got you back to London on your planned return date, albeit about 4 and a half hours late, and paid compensation of £219 - is that correct?

And also I gather you now are being advised you could have claimed for more?

[Helol]

Helol:
So can I check my mental model of what went on here:
You flew as passenger on 4 sector long haul/short haul mix of flights with KLM. Despite problems of some sort KLM got you back to London on your planned return date, albeit about 4 and a half hours late, and paid compensation of £219 - is that correct?
And also I gather you now are being advised you could have claimed for more?


Hello Wiggy, first of all, my apologies for the late reply, I haven't checked the forum for a while.

Yes you are correct in your understanding. LHR-AMS-JNB was delayed a couple of hours because of the French ATC strike in May, but apart from that, it was fine. In fact, there were hardly any pax in economy, and almost each person had a full row to themselves. Bliss.

On return, JNB-AMS leg arrived some 10 mins ahead of schedule, so around 1015, then my next leg was supposed to be the 1320 flight to LHR. About an hour or so prior to the flight, it was cancelled. I understand there were a couple of AMS-LHR cancellations that afternoon. Anyway, I was then booked onto the 1715 flight, but this was delayed half an hour. I arrived at LHR at around 1900 instead of the original 1350.

I am chilled about this type of stuff, as I understand things happen (probably because I didn't have a long haul connection to catch!) Sure I was irritated, as I was dog tired, so I went to eat dim sum, had a beer, and watched the world go by. Contacted hubby and let him know, and all was well.

And yes, I completed the required form on the KLM website (someone suggested it, so I thought I'd tried, but didn't really expect anything, I just saw it as a bonus if I did).

What I was most pleased about, was my luggage arrived too!

I was only 'advised' by the poster on this thread, not elsewhere. I can't believe how easy it is to claim. The compensation was based on the short haul sector, and I had a choice of either a 350 euro voucher, or 250 euro in cash, which I opted for, ( £219).

[BAengineer]

I think you did well - £200 for what was effectively in the end just a 5 hour delay. Sounds pretty reasonable.

[Hotel Tango]

for what was effectively in the end just a 5 hour delay

"just"???!!! Personally I would describe that as quite a significant delay.