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KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines review: klm refuses to pay refund 14

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Author of the review
12:53 pm EDT
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This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

June 27
I make a booking for a return flight AMS-GENEVA, using a gift card of € 100 and paying the remaining about by credit card. I receive a confirmation of my ticket by email

June 28
At Schiphol Airport I am told that payment for the ticket has not been received. I am referred to the ticket desk. There I am told that I will have to pay the ticket again. The KLM representative assures me that my credit card will only be charged once and that the gift card will be recharged. This sounds strange to me, but because of time constraint (flight was about to leave) I decide to pay.

June 30
I discover that my credit card has been charged twice and call KLM e-service desk in Holland to notify them of this. I am told that the refund will be made within 3-4 week.

June 30
I receive an email from KLM SALES & SERVICE CENTER NETHERLANDS confirming that the refund will be made.

August 5
I send an email to KLM to inform that that the refund has not been made

August 6
KLM (Marianne Alberts)emails me back confirming that “refund was started at the end of July. You will receive your refund within 3-6 weeks after the request. Therefore we advise you to call back in 2 weeks to check the status of your refund.”

20 September (approx)
I call KLM e-service again to inform them that no refund was made yet. I am told that I will be called back within 1, 5 hour. However, I never received any phone call.

October 5
I email KLM e-service desk again to inform them that the refund has still not been made.

October 6.
KLM (Madge Grucel Banibah) emails back confirming the following: “Please be informed that, the refund of eur180.60 is still in process. As soon as this is completed, it would be credited to your accounts.”

October 6:
I email back saying that this is unacceptable and request this issue to be settled by October 9 at latest.

October 6:
I call the telephone number given in the email ((+[protected]) to discuss this issue. The person on the phone tells me he can’t deal with this issue himself and will refer it to his supervisor in Amsterdam. He promises me that I will be contacted within 72 hours. Nobody contacts me at all.

October 7:
KLM sends me an email saying: “After we checked your reservation we saw that you already have contacted one of our colleagues by telephone. We hope that all your questions have been answered.”

October 11
I email KLM again to inform that that I did call, but that nobody called or emailed me back as promised and the issue is still not resolved.

October 12
KLM (Soraya Cruz Martins) emails back with the following message: “Unfortunately it is only possible to handle this matter by telephone. We kindly ask you to contact the KLM E-Service Desk via telephone number [protected] in Holland (opened daily from 08.00 - 23.00)”

October 13
I make the phone call as requested. I am told that this issue has been referred to another department and that I will be called back before 12.30 PM on October 14

October 14
The promised phone call by KLM never happens. The only communication I receive from KLM is an email message (written by Humphrey Verbeek) saying: “It seems that it is not possible for us to refund or recredit your Gift Card that you have been used while making the booking on the KLM website. Our Business Unit department decided that the best way for you to proceed is to request your refund with Schiphol Airport in amsterdam.

Below you will find the contact number of our Customer Care, who will have the possibillity to provide you with more details regarding a refund with this special department. We understand that this is not really that you are willing to do, since you have already spend so much time on this case, however it is best solution that we can offer.

Customer Care Netherlands +[protected] Mon - Fri 09.00 - 17.00

October 14
I call the Customer Care number hoping that this issue can now finally be settled. However, the lady on the phone informs me that she can’t help me on the phone and requests me that I sent all information to her by email.

October 14.
I forward all information to customer.[protected]@klm.com. No response received so far.

14 comments
Add a comment
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Sven Haroldson
Oct 14, 2008 12:56 pm EDT

Hi Edwin,

Incredible story. I thought KLM was kinda good airline. Let us know if there's any news. Never fly that Airline again!

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Richard
Nov 11, 2008 10:11 am EST

In deed, I will never fliy KLM either...it's crap!

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Belinda
Sydney, AU
Mar 14, 2009 4:55 am EDT

KLM is shocking! I strongly recommend you don't fly with them. They lost my luggage resulting in 2kg of items being stolen and they will only compensate for those items if I have a reciept. Considering those items were presents I have lost a fair bit of money. I was lucky enought that my clothes and shoes wern't stolen... how would I find reciepts for those!

Save yourself trouble and money...DON'T FLY WITH KLM

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Gloria Fay Campbell
Ladysmith, CA
May 26, 2010 9:48 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

We to had a horrrible flight and so much lying and bs i could not take it any more i called them lyers and they didn't like it but it was true. All first class is full. the flights are full have to send you this way as the fights are full. i watched someone pass a friend a pass on first class even though we were willing to pay just to get home. it didn't cost him a dime and in the mean time first class was empty maybe 5 people in it and only 1/2 flight full. Treated like [censor] would never recommend or travel with this company or affiliaated again. Such BS Baggage damaged delayed etc what a [censor] company.

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Gloria Fay Campbell
Ladysmith, CA
May 26, 2010 9:51 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I would like to see all complaints to get together and sue this airline for all the lies and crap they put people through I have never been treated so poorly by any other airline. \i would never recommmend or flight with this airline again and i would avoid ever being in the Netherlands people are rude and arrogant

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Gloria Fay Campbell
Ladysmith, CA
May 26, 2010 9:54 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

We had upgrades never recieve the luxury and were rerouted for refund, finally had to put stop paynment on amex who do these guys thing they are.

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cosine
Glasow, GB
May 28, 2010 5:44 am EDT

Raise it with the CC company

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nick from uk
GB
Jun 07, 2010 10:57 am EDT

I have been waiting for 6 months for a refund and am getting the same s*** from klm they a f***** disgrace I recommend they are avoided at all costs

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frequentflyer
TH
Aug 02, 2010 11:07 pm EDT

I have filled the refund request for the upgraded 4 seats which they changed to the other flight with regular seats. The system said "waiting for 10 days for answer". It has been 2 weeks. No reply so far... Although my issue is not too serious, I think I might be in the same track with you guys above. Promise on the screen shows the performance, trust, and honesty.

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frequentflyer
TH
Aug 04, 2010 9:01 pm EDT

I finally got the e-mail which was a little bit delay for a few days. It said I will get the refund back to my credit card in 2 weeks. We will see...

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CCKLM2009
NL
Jan 12, 2011 11:48 am EST

I have worked for 2 years in the KLM Customer Care and I can guarantee you that every single claim was deeply analyzed and always we were thinking of the customer before deciding what to do.
We gave away many goodwill voucher and tried to refund also with no prove of loss in baggage pilferage. When there was a flight delay or cancellation we always assisted the passenger at the top of our service because in this way we were instructed. All what Customer Care department was doing was in the limit of the law. When the passenger was not entitled to a refund we could not give it out. When a passenger was entitled to a compensation we were informing him about his rights even if he was not aware of it. I can understand that many of you might have been disappointed because did not get what they expected but unfortunately the airline must go along with what the EU law says. Believe me when I say that the Customer Care of KLM used to be the best Customer Care ever and we reeived many many compliments from our passengers.
I dont work there anymore because they moved the department from Amsterdam to London (indeed now I have no clue of the way they handle the claims) and the only fact that I can testify so positively about my ex job should be indication of the truth i m saying.

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THOMASBENTLEY
cardiff, GB
Feb 04, 2012 1:34 pm EST

MY EXPERIENCE : october 2011 flight rome to cardiff vis amsterdam, delayed us in the airport due to lack of stands for the plane so we missed connecting flight, all the staff couldn't care less including ground staff: had to stay in airport hotel over night, lost our bags, were never put on in rome so did not arrive back to cardiff for 4 days. JANUARY 2012 FLIGHT CARDIFF TO DUBAI via amsterdam, to catch cruise arrived in amsterdam and 15 minutes before dubai departure cancelled the flight due to technical reasons, i'm sure it was due to it being half full meaning we missed our cruise ship connection, attitude they could not care less, totally unwilling to help totally unwilling to provide any compensation, holiday ruined, attitude equivalent to FAULTY TOWERS

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The Travel Defender
Saint Petersburg, US
Feb 23, 2012 12:50 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I want to introduce myself and explain why I am sending you this message. My name is Chad Bruce I am a Protection Agent with The Travel Defender. I help people who have had issues with travel vendors get their issue resolved and put in to the lap of the right person, generally this would be the President/CEO of the travel vendor or the Guest Services Manager. Please feel free to visit our website at www.thetraveldefender.com or call us 24 hours a day for free at 1-855-4-HELP-70. I look forward to helping you get this issue resolved.

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MrsMaru
JP
Jul 16, 2012 5:24 am EDT

EXACTLY the same thing is happening to me. What they call the 'very rare event' of their 'losing' a credit card payment in the system. They won't even give me a phone number to contact them. Just excuses, excuses, excuses. Pathetic. KLM. Never again. Can we collect people who this has happened to?

  1. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Contacts

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  3. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines emails
  4. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines address
    Amsterdamseweg 55, Amstelveen, 1182GP, Netherlands
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