KLM chaos - 6th October 2005
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KLM chaos - 6th October 2005
What is up with KLM? Below is an excerpt from an email I sent to Customer Relations via the KLM website.
"KLM operations 6th October 2005.
Dear KLM,
From the outset, let me say I fully appreciate the ramifications of fog and its affect on flight operations due to low visibility restrictions. I appreciate KLM and all other airlines are at the mercy of the elements; it is the airlines' responses to the situation that matter.
I checked in for flight KL1168 (HEL/AMS) a approximately two hours before scheduled departure. I was advised that the flight was delayed by 30 minutes - no major problem - my connection to AMS/NCL on KL965 was not scheduled to depart AMS until 1810. In the event, KL1168 left about 50 minutes late and the aircraft appeared less than half full.
On arriving at gate D06 at AMS to catch KL 965, the monitors advised a revised departure of 1900, slipping to 1910. While proceeding through boarding control, with the boarding pass issued by Servisair at HEL, I was told I was not booked on the flight. In the event, I got to NCL on KL 965 with no problem; unfortunately, my baggage did not.
On enquiry at NCL, it was determined that my bag was still in HEL!!
Please answer this:
1) How can my bags miss a delayed flight when I checked in very early?
2) Why do your staff at AMS not keep passengers informed? There seems to be an overriding reliance on information transmitted by monitors.
3) Some of your staff at AMS are off-hand to the point of rudeness. There were many passengers delayed longer, and had travelled further than me and had already been bumped off/rescheduled/back on who got to the gate only to be faced with another frustration.
Perhaps the bosses at Air France could inculcate a culture of passenger awareness.
As I write, my bags have still not arrived.
"Bus 429"
PS - I've worked in the industry for 28 years so please do not fob me off with platitudes about technical difficulties etc. I've had problems with KLM in the past, particularly ex HEL. I only use KLM because of the airports from which you operate, not for outstanding customer service."
"KLM operations 6th October 2005.
Dear KLM,
From the outset, let me say I fully appreciate the ramifications of fog and its affect on flight operations due to low visibility restrictions. I appreciate KLM and all other airlines are at the mercy of the elements; it is the airlines' responses to the situation that matter.
I checked in for flight KL1168 (HEL/AMS) a approximately two hours before scheduled departure. I was advised that the flight was delayed by 30 minutes - no major problem - my connection to AMS/NCL on KL965 was not scheduled to depart AMS until 1810. In the event, KL1168 left about 50 minutes late and the aircraft appeared less than half full.
On arriving at gate D06 at AMS to catch KL 965, the monitors advised a revised departure of 1900, slipping to 1910. While proceeding through boarding control, with the boarding pass issued by Servisair at HEL, I was told I was not booked on the flight. In the event, I got to NCL on KL 965 with no problem; unfortunately, my baggage did not.
On enquiry at NCL, it was determined that my bag was still in HEL!!
Please answer this:
1) How can my bags miss a delayed flight when I checked in very early?
2) Why do your staff at AMS not keep passengers informed? There seems to be an overriding reliance on information transmitted by monitors.
3) Some of your staff at AMS are off-hand to the point of rudeness. There were many passengers delayed longer, and had travelled further than me and had already been bumped off/rescheduled/back on who got to the gate only to be faced with another frustration.
Perhaps the bosses at Air France could inculcate a culture of passenger awareness.
As I write, my bags have still not arrived.
"Bus 429"
PS - I've worked in the industry for 28 years so please do not fob me off with platitudes about technical difficulties etc. I've had problems with KLM in the past, particularly ex HEL. I only use KLM because of the airports from which you operate, not for outstanding customer service."
Bus 429, I can't explain the reasons, I can only sympathise. Roughly 60% of all my (KLM) transfers at AMS my bags have failed to accompany me to my final destination. They arrived a day later. AMS staff tell me this is an ongoing and well known problem which has been going on for years now! I wouldn't buy the bit about your bags never leaving HEL. They most likely got "delayed" at AMS.
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Can't help you with the bags or KLMs attitude, but I CAN tell you that the mass of delays on 6th October was not all due to fog.
Someone found a present, dated 1939-1945, when repairs were being carried out to a runway/taxiway/apron (don't know where exactly).
Not the best thing to tell delayed passengers, so we'll stick with the fog, eh?
Someone found a present, dated 1939-1945, when repairs were being carried out to a runway/taxiway/apron (don't know where exactly).
Not the best thing to tell delayed passengers, so we'll stick with the fog, eh?
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According to the "Haarlems Dagblad" its was a 500 pounder made in the UK. Unfortunately it had been moved during ground works making things a bit more tricky than usual resulting in the closure of a nearby highway, a runway and a couple of farms...
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KLM customer service really has gone down the drain. So has their bonus program since it became 'Flying Poo'.
I've also had luggage miss connections at AMS. I did however recieve cash compensation of 125 USD, and my suitcase arrived 24 hours later, as promised.
I've also had luggage miss connections at AMS. I did however recieve cash compensation of 125 USD, and my suitcase arrived 24 hours later, as promised.
