Hi everyone,

Not sure what to do next or how to go about with the above issue. I traveled with KLM in

June out of Heathrow and connected from Amsterdam. On arrival at my final destination

Airport, my luggage was missing. I report immediately and was told that my luggage

remained in Amsterdam. I was given a reference and advised that my luggage will be

brought in two days. I left them with my number but told them that I had not yet reached

my final destination and can not go without my luggage. The lady told me to wait for

the suitcase delivery before travelling to my final destination as that would be by road.

For that reason, I had to check in a Hotel and was there for there days before the delivery

took place.

During this period, I had to take care of my accommodation and feeding.

There were exchange of emails between us and I provided everything they asked for

including all the bills plus bank details.On return to UK they wrote and said they could

only refund the cost of essential items but not any other cost.

Is this right?

To me, the accommodation and feeding expenses came about as result of the

delay. So for them to deny responsibility is not fair.

Any suggestions? Thanks for you help.

Hello there.

I'll move you to the holidays and airlines forum for more specialised advice and leave a short term redirect from this forum.

HB

Hi Honeybee13,

Sorry that I posted it in a wrong area but thanks for moving it and your quick response.

Dot.

Hello there.

 

I'll move you to the holidays and airlines forum for more specialised advice and leave a short term redirect from this forum.

 

HB

No problem. I hope people who know the answers will be along soon.

HB

Thanks,

I will keep an eye and hopefully someone will come along.

No problem. I hope people who know the answers will be along soon.

 

HB

Any suggestion please?

I assume you've checked your insurance.

I don't pretend to be an expert but perhaps you could send an LBA and take them to small claims court if they have a registered office in the UK which I would think they have.

From: http://www.klm.com/travel/gb_en/customer_support/legal_notice/index.htm

Address of Service

Legal Affairs Department

Plesman House

2A Cains Lane

Feltham

Middlesex

TW14 9RL

Hi Caro.

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, I had no insurance. As for a registered office in the UK,

I could not fine anything apart from Heathrow Apt (Terminal 4) Hounslow, Greater London, UK.

I do not think it is their registered office all UK Airports seems to have some kind of address.

Will it matter because I did not have insurance?

Thanks Dot

I assume you've checked your insurance.

 

I don't pretend to be an expert but perhaps you could send an LBA and take them to small claims court if they have a registered office in the UK which I would think they have.

It looks like all their offices are in France and Amsterdam.

From: http://www.klm.com/travel/gb_en/customer_support/legal_notice/index.htm

 

Address of Service

 

Legal Affairs Department

Plesman House

2A Cains Lane

Feltham

Middlesex

TW14 9RL

Looks like Mr P found an address for service. Lack of insurance won't be an issue.

Thanks a lot Mr.P

I will organize a LBA and send it to that address.

Dot

From: http://www.klm.com/travel/gb_en/customer_support/legal_notice/index.htm

 

Address of Service

 

Legal Affairs Department

Plesman House

2A Cains Lane

Feltham

Middlesex

TW14 9RL

Hi Caro,

This is very good. I will send them a LBA then wait for their reply.

I will post an update as soon as there is one. Otherwise, thanks a lot for your input.

Dot

Looks like Mr P found an address for service. Lack of insurance won't be an issue.

Hi Caro,

 

This is very good. I will send them a LBA then wait for their reply.

 

I will post an update as soon as there is one. Otherwise, thanks a lot for your input.

 

Dot

Pleasure dot. Hope it helps and look forward to hearing how it goes.

No problem Caro, will keep you posted and thanks once again.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines have occupied Plesman House since 1990 and is the main administrative office for all UK/Ireland operations. Since joining forces with Air France, the building now houses both airlines.

Press release: https://www.airfrance.co.uk/GB/en/local/toutsurairfrance/actualites/pr_inauguration_afkl.htm

Local directory: http://www.imiddlesex.co.uk/profile/14194/Feltham/KLM-Royal-Dutch-Airlines/

Mr. P,

Thanks once again for the information. LBA is on the way to them.

I will update as soon as one is available.

Dot

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines have occupied Plesman House since 1990 and is the main administrative office for all UK/Ireland operations. Since joining forces with Air France, the building now houses both airlines.

 

Press release: https://www.airfrance.co.uk/GB/en/local/toutsurairfrance/actualites/pr_inauguration_afkl.htm

Local directory: http://www.imiddlesex.co.uk/profile/14194/Feltham/KLM-Royal-Dutch-Airlines/

Hi

I do have some concerns on this could you please clarify the following please:

1.Was it actually KLM Staff that spoke to OP or Airport Staff?

2. Did the staff actually stated the OP had to wait for Baggage (if so why was no accomodation offered at the time)?

3. Or did the staff only suggest to the OP that they wait for Baggage?

Hi stu007,

Thanks for for your time.

1. The lady was a local staff at the destination Airport who was dealing with missing baggage.

I am not sure if she was a KLM staff or just a local staff assigned to handle baggage queries. I suspect that she was working on behalf of KLM though as Airport Handling Service.

2. Yes, she did because I had told her that my final destination was some 300 miles away by road in some remote part of the country. She then told me that I should wait as they had report that my bag was not loaded on that connecting flight from Amsterdam but it will be brought in the next flight which is in two days time. I was not given option as far as accommodation was concerned.

3.That could be another way of looking at it but my understand of it at the time was per my explanation in 2.

I hope it makes sense.

Dot

Hi

 

I do have some concerns on this could you please clarify the following please:

 

1.Was it actually KLM Staff that spoke to OP or Airport Staff?

 

2. Did the staff actually stated the OP had to wait for Baggage (if so why was no accomodation offered at the time)?

 

3. Or did the staff only suggest to the OP that they wait for Baggage?

stu007,

The same lady recorded that my case was missing and gave me a contact and reference number to quote in case I happen to contact them.

She also advised me to go on line and report the missing baggage.

Dot

Hi Dot1

Thank you for taking the time to clarifying what I was concerned about.

I can fully appreciate where you are coming from but my worry is that KLM might say that the accommodation was not authorised or recommended by an authorised KLM Employee.

Did the Local Staff at the Airport dealing with Baggage Reclaim have authority of KLM to state what they did to you?

My worry is that the Airports Baggage Reclaim Staff did not have any Authority from KLM to even offer/suggest accommodation for delayed baggage on KLMs behalf.

I think you really need to ask KLM whether the local airport staff at the baggage reclaim were acting on KLMs behalf, exactly who the baggage reclaim staff are employed by and if it is outsourced does KLM have a contract in place with that outsourced company.

I am just thinking outside the box and what they may come back with.

Hi stu007,

Thanks for pointing out some of those issues. I had not approached it from that angle at all. I see what you mean and you are right.

I suppose, I was just looking at one side of the coin.

I will contact them and raise those issues with them and hopefully they will shed some lights on the matter.

One thing to point out though, I noticed that the Handling Service are involved in many activities in the Airport. For example, they deal with

checking in, baggage reclaim etc for all the different Airlines.

I am not sure who they have arrangement with individual Airlines or Airport Authority.

Well, I find write to KLM with those questions and will post back as soon as they reply.

Thanks for your help.

Dot

Hi Dot1

 

Thank you for taking the time to clarifying what I was concerned about.

 

I can fully appreciate where you are coming from but my worry is that KLM might say that the accommodation was not authorised or recommended by an authorised KLM Employee.

 

Did the Local Staff at the Airport dealing with Baggage Reclaim have authority of KLM to state what they did to you?

 

My worry is that the Airports Baggage Reclaim Staff did not have any Authority from KLM to even offer/suggest accommodation for delayed baggage on KLMs behalf.

 

I think you really need to ask KLM whether the local airport staff at the baggage reclaim were acting on KLMs behalf, exactly who the baggage reclaim staff are employed by and if it is outsourced does KLM have a contract in place with that outsourced company.

 

I am just thinking outside the box and what they may come back with.

Hi all,

Just a quick update, I send the LBA and heard nothing from KLM. I decided this morning to follow it up with a phone call.

There were lots of excuses regarding the delay in responding. Strike etc etc. Anyway, I was told that they will have a look at it and get back to me.

Later on I received a phone phone call and the lady said that they have reviewed my account and decided that as a commercial Goodwill Gesture, they are willing to give me a travel certificate or air mile points to the value of what I spent on accommodation and feeding but not cash refund.The certificate is valid for a year.

I requested her to put it in writing then I will respond to as I could not decide immediately.

What are your thoughts?

Is this right?

Why can they not refund me cash?

What happens if I do not travel within the 12 months?

Based on the experience I have had with them what if I do not want to travel with them again?

Thanks and your advice is very much appreciated.

Dot

Are you likely to use this company again ? If not, then a voucher / travel certificate will be of little value to you.

Fact is you are actually financially out of pocket - and their goodwill gesture is not costing them anything at all.

Just my opinion.

Spot on, they will probably count on you not travelling within the year, so potentially worthless.

KLM are probably busy cutting it out of their 'newsletter' right now.

Are you likely to use this company again ? If not, then a voucher / travel certificate will be of little value to you.

 

Fact is you are actually financially out of pocket - and their goodwill gesture is not costing them anything at all.

 

Just my opinion.