KLM

Their staff do not appear to know or understand the applicable benefits for each of their membership levels. It clearly states on the website that silver flying blue members have priority check-in, baggage drop-off and boarding. However, every single time I go to any of those lanes I am told extremely rudely that I am not allowed to use either of these services. Even when I show them the current KLM flying blue website / the KLM App that clearly states that silver members have those benefits, I am told that it no longer applies.

In February 2023 KLM left us stranded in Tanzania for 24 hours due to allegedly security threats. However, when going to the official Dutch foreign ministry advice for travelling no alerts were provided for the area we were in. After I (finally!) returned home, I filed a claim to KLM for compensation which was denied with no explanations.

Then I filed a claim for reimbursement of expenses (namely 1 extra day at the hotel and 1 extra day at Schiphol long term parking) and I only received a refund for the hotel. I asked at least 25 times (really not joking here!) to KLM via all the channels they have (email, website, KLM customer service support at Schiphol airport, Messenger, flying blue phone number) why I didn’t receive a refund for the parking expenses. After 3 months I am still awaiting for a reply that will obviously never come! Incredibly rude, utterly stupid and I would expect much more from an airline such as KLM. Unless I have no other options, I now choose to fly with other airlines and I know I am not alone in this.

Next the bad: My traveling companion uses a wheelchair. KLM said they would assist us from the Lounge to the airplane and, when we arrived at IAD, from the airplane through customs to the baggage area. Sadly, the assistance did not come. I had to somehow make my way with carry-on luggage while pushing the wheelchair. I am over 80 years old and getting wheelchair assistance was exactly why we purchased business-class tickets. When we got to the gate at Schipol, the attendants did assist us getting onto the plane. On arrival at IAD, however, we - and the other wheelchair passengers, were told to wait in the aircraft until our wheelchairs came to the door of the plane. This took close to an hour!

The wheelchair for one passenger, a fellow from Germany with two knee replacements and a bad back, never came. There were not enough assistants to push all the wheelchairs. So, we were all left sitting at the gate for the plane with the passengers who were getting ready to board the plane staring at us. Finally, as a group, we told the few attendants who were assigned to us that we should proceed. The fellow without the wheelchair moved with us but in pain with each step he took. We asked the assistants to help the weakest and those of us who were stronger, slowly proceeded to customs.

When we got to customs, there was a separate line for wheelchairs. This line was shorter and moved more quickly than the line for able-bodied passengers. Unfortunately, our wheelchair assistants left us saying they had to go to assist other handicapped people. We all helped each other to the customs inspectors. I realize KLM is not responsible for the wheelchair assistance at IAD but they did leave us standing unattended having deposited us off the plane in plain view of the next group of passengers who were waiting to board the plane for the flight back to Amsterdam. The crew members said they were off to their hotel (Omni Shoreham in DC).

The food was so disappointing. For the main meal (in business), we got stuffed shells as an appetizer. The main course selection that I made was braised beef. What came looked (pardon me) like a cow dropping on a bed of mashed potatoes. I couldn't believe they would serve something like that. I was so turned off, I don't remember the dessert.

The ugly: My wife got sick on the plane. The steward who was responsible for our section, ignored her as she vomited into an almost empty glass. He avoided us for a while and then passed by throwing abut 5 air sickness bags and many paper towels at us. He seemed to want to stay as far away from us as possible. When he passed us, he looked away and assiduously ignored us. I tried to get his attention and when he came he was very curt and abrupt. It was clear he wanted to get away from us. We felt abandoned and felt we were being treated like lepers. I thought that no passenger should be treated this way - especially if we had paid premium dollars to fly business class. This treatment lasted for over three hours.

My son booked a flight in March to travel to SA from the UK in June. The cost was £598.27. Due to a system error, the payment was not processed and he did not receive confirmation of the flight, so he assumed that the flight had not been processed. He booked a second flight at the same cost and received confirmation. The following day he realized that the first flight had been processed without a confirmation being sent. He had TWO flights and funds had been deducted for BOTH, so he cancelled the one. Again, due to a system error, a cancellation confirmation was not processing or coming through. So, he cancelled the second flight thinking that he still had the first. Three weeks before his flight to SA he decided to check out his flight on Flying Blue only to find that he had NO flights. BOTH had been cancelled.

After MUCH hassle he got hold of a consultant who informed him that he would have to rebook a flight from scratch. At this point, the flights were £1592.77 (TRIPLE the amount). That's what he had to fork out to get home and KLM just shrugged their shoulders. It is truly outrageous - due to KLM's system glitches, we had to carry the cost of £998.50. In rand that a huge sum and we have heard NOTHING from KLM in terms of compensation. Up to this point, they have fully refunded one of the flights. Only partially refunded the second flight that they cancelled in error and offered nothing in terms of compensation. This should not be allowed to happen.