KLM Scam technique performed by KLM online ticket purchasing website , Internet
I am claiming that KLM is conducting a scamming technique on their reservation website, portraying convenient flight segments which afterwards are modified by the computer without a proper notification/warning to the customer.
A reservation was made on-line at KLM.COM on December 19 for a flight schedule to depart Atlanta on June 3rd 2011. The website presented me with a number of choices and, since I am travelling with my wife and daughter, I selected the following segments which gave me the shortest available total flight time: KL0622, ATL-AMS, 22:25-12:50, 6/3/11 KL2701, AMS-OTP, 14:15-18:05, 6/4/11.
KLM's computer, upon submitting my final selection and authorizing the credit card charge, however, has changed my second segment chosen, without my knowledge, and gave me: KL1379, AMS-OTP, 20:20 - 00:00, 6/4/11.
For the flight received I would have had to wait in Amsterdam 7h30' instead of 1h25' as I originally ordered. I contacted KLM after only 7 days, i.e. as soon as I realized the modification of the original flight path ordered. In a very non-professional manner I was denied any attempt to explain the situation and I was told that "I should have acted within 24 hours from receiving the confirmation email if I wanted any refund or modification of flight path". This implies that, since I wasn't checking my confirmation email, I was supposed to swallow whatever KLM issued to me.
In my opinion this is a scam technique that attracts customers in believing they have seats on a particular flight, but then KLM is issuing the tickets in next available flight. The "notification" of this change is buried in the "confirmation" email sent once the reservation is done. If the customer doesn't check, there is no chance for him to either revert to the original or get the money back. KLM has consistently passed responsibilities to Delta and back to KLM. I have obtained from Delta, no less than four telephone numbers I was supposed to call. I called them all and after sometimes waiting 1 hour to speak with someone, they consistently didn't want to talk with me.
Please, if you order tickets from KLM.COM, do check your confirmation email and contact KLM immediately if you see the scam applied to you. Otherwise you might have to prepare a sleeping bag and use it while waiting for your next connecting flight...
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Razvan
Norcross,Georgia,
United States of America
KLM Scam Update (clarifications)
#3Author of original report
Wed, February 09, 2011
I was asked if the 14:15 flight was cancelled: The flight is going to take place in the future, i.e. on June 3rd 2011. It has never been cancelled and it still shows as an option on almost all dates chosen for the same trip plan. The change was performed by the computer, without my authorization and proper information. In December, with six months ahead the travel date, but just one week after the reservation was made, KLM did not want to admit the modification and make back the change without a fee. They can do it, but they want to charge $250 per person, for something that they should have corrected anyways.
The same airline issues tickets on the same route with 55 minutes wait between flights. One and a half hours is plenty of time for any carrier and for any destination. That airline (KLM) never properly informed me about the change. I paid for a certain flight path and they accepted my card. After the transaction was processed, they just decided to change that flight, with no notification in any communication that has been sent.
Karl
Clovis,New Mexico,
U.S.A.
Was this a cancelled flight?
#3Consumer Suggestion
Sun, January 16, 2011
The complaint only holds water if the 14:15 flight operated. I've gotten flight changes after confirmation lots of times. Usually it is a time change for the original flight however sometimes I've been put on a later flight because the first one was cancelled for some reason. Routes and times change all the time. Did the 14:15 flight operate?
Another point. The airline may have changed your flight from Amsterdam because an hour and 25 minutes is a short time in which to change planes if you had to do anything other than sit in a transit lounge.