KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Reviews and Complaints

I arrived from KLM Airlines on June 30 to Dallas, TX. I got a receipt for delayed luggage on June 30, since last 7 days I have been calling them and no one returns calls, I called their number [protected] and all they say is they have sent a message. Its ridiculous that they dont have any sensible reply for me and dont have a clue of the exact status. And since Dallas is my hometown, they say I am not eligible to get any allowance money even though its been 7 days since I have been waiting. Absolute pathetic service.

I have been a regular flyer for the last 10 years. I fly Dublin to mainland Europe and Europe to China 2-3 times a year on business. I also take domestic flights while in China.
On 9/4/08 I flew on flight KL 888 from Hong Kong to Amsterdam. When the flight landed at Amsterdam there was a long delay for passengers to disembark the aircraft. This was because passenger’s passports were checked before they were allowed into the airport terminal. This delay caused me to have a serious panic attack. A few hours later I went to catch my connecting flight, the last EI/KLM flight that evening. I boarded the flight to Dublin but I was unable to stay onboard because I began to experience a panic attack as I was still deeply emotionally disturbed from my experience from the delayed disembarkation from the earlier KL888 flight. So I got off the flight.
That night I stayed overnight in Amsterdam. The next day I went to a doctor in Amsterdam and got a prescription for tranquilizers. I bought another ticket to Dublin – flight EI0605 and flew to Dublin the next day but even with the medication it was still very stressful. Total cost to me was about 500Euro.
My panic attack was caused because of the delay in disembarkation from the Hong Kong – Amsterdam flight for passports to be checked before passengers could enter the terminal. Is it not obvious that this could be very stressful to the 1 in 3 passengers who have issues flying (Boeing survey) after an 11 hour + flight? I have never heard of this happening at any other airport.
I have emailed Schiphol airport and KLM. KLM have not replied and Schiphol have blamed it on the Dutch Ministry of Defence who control immigration.
Mark Renwick

Dear KLM Authorities,

I have booked a return flight ticket SG-Geneva-SG with KLM authorized travel agent Nam Ho Travel. Before I booked with them, I have done some comparison between the price and timing that both of the travel agent and KLM. The price offered by both is almost the same. I chose the Nam Ho as they have transit to Amsterdam with a longer duration at the airport for 4 hours. Due to my husband business schedule changed, I would like to request to change my flight date. With huge disappointment, the travel agent was unable to assist me as they said all this was controlled by KLM airline, they directed me to call KLM airline personally to make a change on my reservations. I spoken with KLM reservation staff, I was very frustrated with the service provided. Again, they directed me to contact the travel agent again. Who’s the person I should deal with? I have a great feeling that both of your sides trying to push the responsibility. Where’s the” reliable service” from the airline?

I have contacted KLM and travel agent several times yesterday 16/04/2008; there is no one could give me a perfect answer or solve my difficulty. They said my flight is not allowed to do amendment; not refundable, you have to contact the travel agent/KLM directly to make amendment. The ticket value of $1554 was totally forfeited. I wasn’t been informed that the flight is not allowed to change date by the travel agent at all. I think KLM should put more quality control in this issue; else the travel agent will destroy your brand name and losing of the potential customers!

I am a regular traveler with a number of airlines and I haven’t encounter before that I was unable to make changes to my flight. I don’t think I got a promotion ticket from the travel agent because the fare price is almost the same when I did my comparison. I could give a big applause to EVA Air which I’m so proud till now. One time, I missed the flight due to overslept, eventually the airline put their initiative to call me and arrange another flight for me without any additional charges. As EVA can do that, why not for KLM? I booked through agency instead of EVA directly.

I hope KLM will help to solve this issue. I’m really saddened with the services, I told myself, I will not choosing KLM for my next flight since the service or term and condition are not flexible to customer at all and also authorized travel agent Nam Ho which doesn’t provide a detailed explanation at all. Going forward, I hope KLM services can be more flexible and be sure that KLM's authorized travel agent conformed to the KLM's reliable standard. I don’t think the services that I get from both parties are reliable at all. I hope to hear a positive answer from KLM as soon as possible.

KLM charged my debit card twice for trans-Atlantic flight tickets and the debit came mid-way through my visit to the USA. This has left me with no money to settle a hotel bill and the threat of arrest not to mention 2 missed meetings that formed the very basis for my trip. No 24hr customer support has left me with no-where to spend the night other than in the hotel lobby.

The only customer service I could find is a call centre taking reservations. They could not help me. There is a very real chance that I may be arrested because of them.

On March 25 I travelled through KLM from Sandefjord (Norway) to Amsterdam where I was supposed to catch the connection flight to Lisbon. The flight numbers were: KL1218 at 17h30 from Sandefjord to Amsterdam and KL1697 at 21h from Amsterdam to Lisbon.

The plane that should depart from Sandefjord at 17h30 only arrived at 19h, which by itself made it impossible for me to catch the connection flight. We got on the plane at 19h30 but only departed 2 hours later. After 1 hour waiting on board of the plane the captain announced as an explanation that we were overweight (shouldn't they have noticed that during the check in of all passengers more than 3 hours before?) and that they had to take off fuel and also due to bad weather planes were not departing (we could see through our windows planes landing and departing at that exact time) and that Denmark had closed their airspace to our plane (strange...). Finally we got to Amsterdam and arrived there at 23h. Having lost my connection I went to the transfer desk. The only alternative I was given was the next day flight to Lisbon at 12h20 and although I asked for accommodation for the night (we were missing 13 hours for the departure I was told it was not possible and I could have a 10€ voucher de 10€ to use at some (not all) restaurants of the airport and a 5 minutes call from a single phone that in fact did not work properly as you could hear the person you were talking to. Despite explaining to them it was not correct to just leave me like that especially since the cause of the delay was a delay from KLM departing from Amsterdam to Sandefjord (this flight arrived over 2 hours late) that caused me to lose the connection flight to Lisbon they did no more. I stayed 13 hours at the airport by myself without any support from the company that caused it. Also they didn't agree in finding an earlier flight (even from another company) and when I asked for a note to present at work as I was going to lose a day's work explaining the reason they denied to give such note. I already knew that delays at this company are constant, always putting at risk connections, but I find this kind of treatment and lack of respect unacceptable.

A SENIOR KLM ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES DEPARTURE SUPERVISOR AT SCHIOPL AIRPORT , CHARGED ME TWICE THE MAXIUM NORMAL EXCESS BAGAGE FEES TO TAKE HUMANITARIAN ITEMS TO AFRICAN ORPHANS On November 30 ,2007 I encounter a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Departure Supervisor in Schiopl Airport , Amsterdam , Holland and believe she exceeded her authority and acted out of personal bias with the intention not only to insult me, but to cause me as much hardship and inconvenience as she could. That day I was traveling from San Francisco International Airport on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to Uganda, Africa to assist several humanitarian organizations. I was carrying, as excess, baggage four large boxes of humanitarian items for orphans in that country. Prior to departure on November 26, 2007 , I had received approval form KLM to take the four large boxes of humanitarian items for Ugandan orphans as excess baggage on a flight to Africa and was informed I would have to pay $600.00 American dollars as an excess baggage fee; which I was prepared to do. However when I arrived at SFO ( San Francisco International Airport) , there was no record of KLM’s approval for the excess baggage. . The Supervisor at the departure desk called KLM and confirmed the approval, and instructed his employee to only charge me for TWO additional baggage items, which should have been $300.00 American dollars. However that employee only charged me $250.00. In Amsterdam at Schiopl Airport , as I was checking in for the connecting flight to Entebbe Uganda ; I asked the KLM departure agent to confirm that the extra baggage had been forwarded to Entebbe , and she informed me that they would NOT be loaded on the plane until I paid an additional baggage fee. I tried to point out to her that I had already paid the fee , that was requested by the KLM agent in San Francisco and I did not think it was appropriate to pay them twice. She was unwilling to review my documentation of the transaction. So I asked to speak with her Supervisor . When she arrived at the tickit /work station, I asked her to speak in English so that I could understand their conversation, since I do not speak or understand Dutch. The two women spoke in Dutch, between themselves for a while and then the original agent said she would speak in English and explain the issue as she understood it. However , her version was not accurate and when I attempted to show her supervisor my documentation she would not look at it and eventually said: ..” The matter is over! It is done!... You will pay 600 EUROS!... It is over! “ I protested and said that I did not believe it was appropriate to charge me twice for the excess baggage and took my calculator out of pocket and showed her that by converting the 600.00 EUROS to dollars and adding the $250.00; that I had already paid in San Francisco that the total was over $1200.00 American Dollars. At that point she looked at me and said: ...”What you said is correct! I told her that it just wasn’t right or appropriate. And she responded angrily that ... “ I could try to get it back from the company “ ... and she left. During my conversation with the Supervisor , she spoke to me and treated me like a criminal. She would not look at my documentation and at one point during the conversation; I heard , either her or the other agent say: ...” We get your kind of people through here all the time “A statement which, while abusive and insulting, also seems to reveal a negative attitude towards certain types of KLM passengers. I can only conclude that the Supervisor’s conduct was caused by a personal bias and her intention was to cause me as much hardship and inconvenience as possible I do not believe there is a legal or procedural policy that would require me to pay the excess baggage fee twice. Once at the begining of a trip and again midway though it. I believe the Supervisor exceeded her authority and KLM’s company policies to anger and upset me as much as she could. And, that was essentially confirmed by the actions of the women in the Excess Baggage Department in Schipol Airport where passengers pay excess baggage fees. When, I went to the window to pay the fees, several of the women in that department, were openly upset by the Supervisor's actions and on their own initiative and with out my request, several of them went to the Supervisor and tried to get her to change her demand that I pay the 600 EUROS. She would not! So in order for me to get the Humanitarian items on the plane, I had to pay the additional fees before they would load the boxes. When I arrived in Uganda ; I called KLM in Amsterdam numerious time and went to their Kampala offices in an attempt to resolve this issue and get my money back. In each case I was told I would have to take it up with KLM's Office's in Amsterdam . In one call I was told a representitive would meet me to resolve the matter when I arrived back in Holland. However during the eight hours between my arrival and departure I was not met and during a phone call that i initiated to KLM was told that I would have to file the complaint in the country where I bought the tickets , the USA . And with the KLM's representitive .. in this case ...Northwestern Airlines. During this orderal none of the "ground " KLM employees were willing to help me or kept their commitments . I have concluded that KLM's procedures for dealing with Custmers complaints are designed to discourage and wear down anyone who has a valid complaint . And although I have filed numerous complaints about the Supervisor and requests that my money be returned , approximately 3 months later , I have not had a offical responce from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

Security check-in is important and therefore must be treated with responsibility. Such task should not be turned by KLM employees into a cheap entertainment show or a bureaucracy lesson that defies the common sense. I wear suspenders with metallic clips that do not appear to be a security risk for other airlines checkpoints. At boarding time, an arrogant KLM employee instructed me to remove my suspenders and pass one more time through the metal detector gate. With my pants below the knees, I had to show my Calvin Klein underwear to the audience I order to please the smart KLM security check procedure. This was however a sort of happy ending. What if I do not wear panties? Should the KLM’s check-in procedure release the boarding pass only for those that wear panties? I don’t want to further elaborate on this KLM issue that hopefully will trigger some corrective action. As a remark, the dinner cutlery KLM crew makes it available to the passengers during the flight can be in the wrong hands away more dangerous than my suspender’s clips.

Dear KLM Authority,

I want to describe you what I have experienced during my flight with your airline 5 weeks ago. I had a flight from Chicago to Istanbul through Amsterdam on December 20th, 2007 (KL 612 from Chicago to Amsterdam and KL1613 from Amsterdam to Istanbul). My first flight from Chicago to Istanbul was delayed about an hour and after a long trip, I arrived to Amsterdam on December 21st, 2007 at 09:20AM. I had a seat next to the exit and when the door was opened, a KLM representative announced that Istanbul passengers should not waste their time in the airport and should immediately go to their gate because the plane was waiting for them. Meanwhile, the original flight time of Istanbul plane was 09:05AM. After that announcement, I ran to my gate but I realized that the plane has already left the gate more than 15 minutes ago which meant that the previous announcement was completely wrong. Following, I went to the transfer point in the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to reschedule my flight. However, due to delays, there were more than 200 people in line before me. I waited in the line more than 2.5 hour and finally, I requested a ticket to Istanbul. However, your representative was so rude and he tried to give me a ticket next day although I have explained that I came from a long trip (from Chicago). In addition, I knew that your airline had a flight on that day at 9:00PM. She, your representative, did not rebook me to that plane. I was given a ticket next day at 6:45AM. Following, I realized that no hotel reservation was made for me. Then, I wanted to talk with the director of her whose name was M.J. Schot and he was also rude and told me that they could not make a reservation because I missed the plane due to weather conditions. But that was completely a lie because my flight was not canceled and there was not even a delay for my flight. Although I discussed with him and your representative on the desk, they did not make a reservation for me and finally, they told me that I had to wait in the airport for the next day flight, exactly 21 hours. I was so irremediable and started to find a comfortable chair to sleep after coming from Chicago. After 13 hours in the airport, I wanted to check my ticket for the next day and realized that ticket was to Paris, France and from Paris to Istanbul. But I could not fly to Paris because I did not have a Schengen Vise. I am a Turkey citizen and your representative and Mr. Schot saw my passport and they did not even asked if I have a vise. I am sure that that behavior was intended and it was not a mistake. Because I definitely believe that your representatives know that a passenger without Schengen vise may not fly to Paris. Then, I went to your desk about 09:00PM, as I said before after I waited more than 13 hours in the airport. Then, I waited in the line 2.5 hours, again and an announcement was made by your representatives. They stated in the announcement that they would close the desk and would open at 6:00AM next day. After 13 hours, I had no ticket because Paris ticket was not valid for me without a Schengen vise. I stayed overnight in front of the desk during night because there were hundreds of people. Of course, I could not sleep in front of the desk on the floor. Next day, at 6:15AM I was talking with another representative from your company and was stating that I had been waiting more than 21 hours in the airport and I wanted to change my ticket because I could not fly to Paris. After her answer, I was shocked again because she told me there was no available place for me in the Istanbul flight at 9:00AM. Thus, she gave me a piece of paper and I had to give that paper to another stewardess in the gate and he/she may give me a seat if someone else would miss that flight. At that time, I was so tired, their behavior was discreditable. Then, I waited more than 2 hours in front of the gate and gave that paper to the stewardess and again, waited an hour more. Finally, after all passengers went aboard, I was told that I could also enter to the plane because there was an available seat for me. Could you imagine how it was stressful and burdensome to wait an additional an hour in the gate after exactly 24 hours in the airport without knowing whether I could fly to Istanbul in that plane. I request you to compensate that terrible story and your faults in the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. I will be waiting for an immediate answer for my letter.

Dear all,

Beware of KLM. They excel not just at bad service, but manage to be rude in the process. In our case we have been travelling repeatedly on the route Berlin-Amsterdam-Vancouver, on business. Today, once again something went wrong: Their Sunday afternoon flight was cancelled - for internal reasons within the airlines responsibility. Naturally a big problem for a family of five travelling.

You might think this would meet with a degree of compassion from the representatives of the airline responsible. Not so. The conversation trying to sort out alternative travel arrangements that actually fit us was terminated by the KLM man with 'Shut up! and the phone being put down.

PS.: KLM - that's the airline that NEVER changes it's menues and hardly ever changes it's films. You get punished for being a regular customer!

On 4th October 2007 i was scheduled to fly KL 1674 from Barcelona to Amsterdam and to connect with KL---that should have left Amsterdam for Nairobi at 10.15 the same evening. As fate would have it, this plane delayed due to what was explained as bad weather. We therefore arrived at Amsterdam at 10.30 pm. At this point an announcement had been made that those who were to connect with flight to Nairobi would not make it. Verdict: go to KLM desk at schiphol and get attention. At this desk (desk 2?) I was scheduled to fly to Nairobi the following day 5th October 2007 at 10.15 am via KL 565. I was given 10 euro for a meal, a voucher to make an international call and a promise in the same voucher that if i will be lucky to fly KLM in the future i would get a a discount of 50 euros (this was not going to help me) A place to sleep would have been more than what any money can pay. Accommodation? just sit at the airport for 10 hours until the following day because the delay was caused by bad weather or look for your own accommodation. I tried to look for my own accommodation and the aiport hotels were all booked at that late hour. Alternative? get out of the airport but you risk to be arrested if you are on transit have no VISA. I opted to sit at the airport and waited for the following day. The following day i boarded flight KL 565 that promtly left Amsterdam at the stipulated time. I arrived in Nairobi at around 7.20 pm local time but my luggage was missing. At this time i had missed my Kisumu flight operated by the East African Safari express. I went to KLM representative to ask if i could be accommodated. I found young man of arrogant dispensation called Eric who blatantly told me that KLM would not take responsibility because the flight to Kisumu that i missed was not operated by KLM, which was very true but why was i late in the first instance. To his credit this young man called Eric made an immediate telephone call to Amsterdam to try to locate the luggage. To my relief he said the luggage was left in Amsterdam. For purposes of clarity, i would like to point out that the luggage was checked in at Barcelona and if KLM is not responsible for my accommodation when i am delayed for 24 hours, i am still think they would be responsible for my luggage, at least in the court of humanity and good business practice. To date no one from KLM SYSTEM has called me brief me of any progress towards luggage recovery. It has hard to believe that KLM can bend so low.

I want to share a bad experience I had with KLM, a supposedly good air carrier in Ghana. I bought for the first time a return ticket with them online in October 2005 for travel to UK in December 2005. During the transaction, I was asked to make payments at KLM head office in Accra. I went there with my passport and upon inspection of my passport was issued the ticket. I was however never told at that time that I required a transit visa for my travel even after inspection and therefore I thought I did not need one.

It was shocking to me that KLM refused me to travel to the UK on 21st December 2005, even though I informed them that I needed to travel at all cost on that day since I had a hospital appointment the next day to screen my blood as part of care being given to my pregnant wife in London. The KLM officials told me if I were a frequent flyer with their airline, they could have allowed me to travel but because I wasn’t they could not and as a matter of fact will not help. They informed me that Ghana International Airline (GIA) was also leaving to UK that night and I could buy a new ticket and join them if I wished as I could travel with them (KLM) only on 24th December 2005 after they have obtained a transit visa for me, in addition to updating my ticket with them and paying an extra $700 (my original ticket was $737, thus paying for twice the normal cost of an economy ticket).

I contacted GIA reluctantly but to my surprise I was able to buy a new ticket. Although I was able to get to the UK the next morning, I was not able to get to the appointment on time as GIA goes to Gatwick as against City Airport by KLM.

After arrival in UK, I made contact with KLM customer service for my refund and compensation for the stress they put me through. To my dismay, they told me I was not entitled for a refund even though I did not travel with them that night and did not also cancel my flight personally. As I write now they have still refused to pay me my money back and have not even apologized for their inhumane treatment meted out to me.

KLM in Ghana is blatantly cheating customers like me of large sums of money in the name of error.

KLM Ghana’s Head office checks customers’ passport before issuing tickets so why did they not tell me to get the transit visa before selling me a ticket if they are not trying to cheat.

As they have cheated me of my money, I am also going to discourage my client’s and other agents my company deal with from using them.

KLM, cheating is morally wrong and you don’t have to be religious to know that.

A copy of email to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines / Northwest Airlines (NWA):

Klm mr. Frank de reij
Executive vice president
Klm ground services

Dear sir,

This has reference to your claim that klm is committed to achieving optimum punctuality and reliability. Inspite your best efforts it doesn't seem to be good enough. On a round trip of six days & having checked in three times my baggage was delayed & partially lost on all, three occasions. At gothenburg on 10 sep-07, delayed bag ref-gotkl-32451 had to purchase warm clothings & suits for conference there.

On 14 sep 07 lost baggage ref ams kl 84983. The two days trip was spent chasing lost baggage so had to buy lots of stuff but however medicines were in the bag which we could not get at amsterdam my wife got an allergic reaction which almost took her life. It was indeed a traumatic experience. Because of the continuous baggage problem our trip turned out to a waste of time & money. It is also very frustrating when there is no response on the phone specially in europe however i find the staff at mumbai quite prompt & responsive. Now coming to the last leg to mumbai again the baggage got delayed & partially lost as most of the stuff got stolen even the inner wears were stolen. I got the suitcase totally damaged-this has ref-bom nw 47273. I hope you understand & appreciate that our trip turned out to be a night mare i have made a claim for the two pilfered baggages.

To whom it may concern.

A friend of mine from Accra, Ghana had made plans to fly klm to Dublin Ireland. He got a price from the airlines and proceeded to pay for his transit visa to Amsterdam. He paid for it but when he went to purchase his airplane ticket they increased the price by over 200 euros. Since he could not afford this price he went to another airline. KLM had given him a different price just a few days earlier. Now he is out the price of his transit ticket and went on another airline. There is something not right about this. Could you explain?

Sincerely, J Connick, Dublin