KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
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They really are the worst airline
They really are the worst airline I’ve ever used (including budget!). I flew from Birmingham to Quito via Amsterdam and KLM lost my luggage (they left it in Amsterdam). On arrival in Ecuador on Friday morning I was a woman alone and I was tired, upset and worried. The KLM airport staff were unhelpful and didn’t explain anything or offer me any help. It was only when I actually started crying that they promised they’d fly my luggage out the next morning (Saturday) via Air Europa. They wrote the details down for me. The luggage was not flown out as promised. As far as I can tell no attempt was ever made to do so. I don’t know if it was a genuine attempt to help that just didn’t work, or a lie to get me out of the airport. But the result was the same - no luggage and no idea what was happening. I eventually got through to staff on KLMs WhatsApp. They tried to be helpful but always seemed very confused. They couldn’t say why my luggage hadn’t been flown out as I was promised or when it would arrive. One part of KLM seemingly had no idea what another part was doing. Luckily at this point I’d joined my tour group and the tour leader was able to help. If it wasn’t for him I don’t think I’d ever have seen my luggage. KLM finally managed to locate and get my luggage out to me. But, as it was now Sunday, they wouldn’t get it to me until Monday. So I paid for a courier to get my luggage from the airport to me (I was several hundred kilometres away) and also because I had no confidence that KLM could actually do what they promised. On arrival home I made my claim of approx £350 which didn’t cover all the costs I incurred because of KLM but was what I had receipts for. But they have only reimbursed me just over £200 and so I'm financially poorer as a result. Despite having receipts KLM refuse to reimburse all my costs and they’re flatly refusing to pay for the courier (they say they’d have got my luggage to me eventually which I dispute). The communication has been extremely poor. KLM are not replying to my emails and totally ignoring my tweets. If they do reply, they ignore the specific points I raise and just send me an unhelpful standard, stock response. The flights were average, I’m flown on better airlines, I’ve flown on worse. Losing my luggage was unfortunate but i get that it happens. But I think KLM staff deliberately misled me at Quito airport. And I have lost money because KLM won’t reimburse me for my costs. So, avoid KLM and use an airline that can be trusted and that doesn’t treat its customers with such contempt. EDIT - I’ve just had a response to my latest email. They seem to be saying that because I complained about KLM losing my luggage I cannot now complain about KLMs subsequent response to that compliant! They really are appalling.