oh dear oh dear

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  • Anonymous
    Guest

    stevescoots
    Participant

    So, this isn’t just about KLM but China southern as well in general. I have put under KLM as they were the booking carrier.

    I needed to get out to CAN and most of the flag carriers were way up in the 2800+ price and the gulf guys while better pricing were stupid long layovers, so I took a recommendation to use KLM/China southern…bad move.

    Routing was NOR-AMS-CAN, on paper it looked ok, with a 1 hour transit time in AMS. Flight from NOR was ok, nothing to report as it’s only a 30 mins hop. Landed in AMS on time by watch (see more about that further down)

    A brisk stroll from the arrival point to the China southern gate and I was probably 4th in the queue, so early..thru security and hand over the boarding pass. Sorry sir…you have been ejected from the flight! What!!!! Who, what, when, how?? “You have been booked on another flight but you need to speak to the transit desk. So off I run to the desk, wait in line to be told..I was ejected from the flight as my NOR flight was 3 minutes late arriving…3 minutes! And there is no time to security check my luggage before it goes on the next flight (bear in mind it had gone thru NOR screening) Now, it took me less than 10 minutes from the bus to the gate in in that time they had managed to see I was late, and rebook me on another flight….I smell a rat! To further compound the issue another PAX was on the same leg, they told him the same reason and he went apoplectic with rage, as he had no luggage! Just carry on, that resulted in security being called!

    So, what did they offer…not direct to CAN, that would be the next day. I could sit 6 hours in AMS and wait for either a HKG, or via PEK or SHG or via DXB..I opted for DXB as I know china transit times are never on time.

    So, I have now gone from a direct flight with flatbeds to, an AMS DXB, on a 777 with Z seats that as I was on the bulkhead only went back a few degrees..No sleep for me. Flight was uncomfortable but other than that as you would expect. So Arrival at DXB I had to go to the China southern desk to get my boarding pass and pass them a note from KLM to let my luggage go. My flight was 20 mins late into DXB, so I ran..and ran to be told “oh no, you are booked to go back to AMS!!! “By which point my blood was boiling with anger and I did well to old it back. They fuffed, farted, fannied around and got me on the flight I was meant to. With no promise that luggage would arrive and that if it didn’t make the flight, it wouldn’t get on a plane at all and I would have to arrange with KLM to send it back to UK. Oh and the stuck me in Economy, until I realized, had to go back thru security to get it changed followed by another run to the aircraft.

    Oh dear oh dear oh dear.., another old tired 777 with a 2+2+2 config and Z chairs for the 6.5 hr flight. No sleep again, and no functioning entertainment, that consisted of a 5 inch x 7 inch brick that I did not even bother to take off the crew. So I had an entire flight catching up my TV shows on my touchpad. I landed..Luggage actually arrived but was beaten to hell, damaged and my clothes just tossed back in. all in all a 36 hour day with no sleep. I am not looking forward to the return, after that KLM join Ryan air on my no fly list.

    As a side note I was most unimpressed with the UKBA at Norwich, after my bags went thru the scanner they pulled them to one side and took 900 RMB from my wallet, thats 90 quid to you squire. Where he proceeded to grill me in full gestapo mode why I had it, it looks like a lot of cash, what do I do, where am I going how long, what am I doing for money, do I have bank accounts in China..at which point I did get annoyed, and told him he had no right to ask me personal quastions about finances, he said he could, I said he could not. I am carrying 90 pounds in currency, I am within the legal amount and if he dosnt like it then check the internet for the currency rates or detain me…he let me go with a menacing look.

    My actual thinking was that KLM overbooked and bumped us 2 UK passengers off the flight, the luggage was a crock of sh**


    Bullfrog
    Participant

    Nightmare scenario .. Worse than bad !

    Makes a drive from Norwich to Heathrow & a non stop to Guangzhou a preferred option.


    stevescoots
    Participant

    yep, actually i live in lincs and do the Asia trip every 3-4 weeks, majorityon QR into CAN or HKG or when a sale is on BA direct to HKG.

    finacilally and timing the NOR option made sense, My Uk base is in Lincs so its closer, the timing was good getting into CAN at 7am meaning i could be in my DG office at 9am.

    anything that looks good..isnt.


    JohnHarper
    Participant

    Steve, this sounds like a truely horrible experience. I can understand why you would never give KLM another chance.

    I guess from my own experience all carriers get it totally wrong on occasions, fortunately not often as badly as this. FWIW I’ve always found KLM very reliable and short transfers at AMS never a problem.

    I suspect you are right, the flight was overbooked. Don’t write them off completely!


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    Sounds awful Steve and I can really commiserate, but I guess when one travels as often as you (and many of us) do it’s inevitable things will occasionally go wrong. Often it comes down to how it’s handled that makes a difference but in this case it seems you were treated very badly and the whole thing was totally mishandled.

    As for the cash thing at NOR, this happens to me quite often leaving the UK. For amounts under £1,000 they don’t usually bother, but anything more, up to and beyond the EU limit for not declaring of €10,000 (soon to be reduced to € 5,000 I hear) they can demand proof of how and where you obtained it. They can even ask for proof for amounts of a few hundred, unlikely but in some eyes that’s a lot of cash to carry around with debit and credit cards being the norms.

    So Mr. jobsworth was within his rights to “interrogate” you although I find it quite pathetic.


    Cedric_Statherby
    Participant

    Steve, LP

    I think the key comment is that “it’s inevitable that things will occasionally go wrong”. Much more important is how KLM make this up to you. Anything less than a fairly full refund of all fares for the trip (or a free all-world upgrade, so allowing a repeat trip in business for the price of economy, say) would be inadequate in my mind.

    No airline is perfect. Mistakes happen. It is how they deal with life’s imperfections that separate those worth using from those one never talks to again.


    stevescoots
    Participant

    i agree stuff goes wrong, and it depends how they handle it. i have alreday shot off an email to them so will see what they come back with, not much I suspect!

    regarding UKBA, i agree they have a job to do, butr we live in a free society (allegedly) of which I am a subject of the crown by birth (not a citizen, thats for republics). It was clear that I was not in breach of any laws, carrying the total sum of £90 in RMB, $20 HKD (less than £2) £2.50 in loose change and 6 credit cards. that gives them no right to ask such questions as what am i doing for money when overseas and do i have overseas bank accounts. that information is private and only Police can request if under caution and HMRC at any time.

    I am not too concered and sure as hell wont make acompliant, but i do like to remind our public servants of the boundaries of thier powers,


    stevescoots
    Participant

    it gets worse…..return trip , diverted to paris as fog in AMS, strange on the ams site its showing other lines landed ok. Left on the plane for an hour at CDG, deplaned to be left in limbo between the plane and security for an hour. 1 china southern rep on hand for 5 mins and had no idea what was going on, left in an area with no drink, no food, and about 6 chairs for 200 people.cannot go through security as dont have a pass to get back to AMS. finally after some heated exchanges got a boarding pass to go back to AMS…but not sure when, 10..then 11..now 12..and probably 2pm. They wont let anyone get thier bags and make alternative arrangements at thier own cost. additionally business passengers are not given lounge passes but as there was such a long line at the lounge entrance I just walked strait in.

    so here i am , stuck in CDG, no idea when i will land in norwich as i have to rearrange everthing myself if/when I get to AMS!

    anyone else in T2 CGD right now fancy a beer!


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    BA can get you to Heathrow on their 1445 service from CDG, arrives 3pm and you’ll be home in Norwich for supper.

    4500 Avios and €17.50 one way.

    There are other ways, and there is British Airways.


    DavidGordon10
    Participant

    That is pretty ghastly and CDG is not the airport where one would want to be stuck like you. I would invite you for a beer except that I am in the lounge at PRG looking out the Czech sunshine.

    The serious point is that I have been diverted and delayed several times because of adverse weather at Schiphol – fog, or torrential rain with flooding. Are there any statistics on how often this happens? Despite the many good connections, it does make the idea of Schiphol as LHR’s third runway less attractive.

    A really off-topic point, BA should really get a better lounge at PRG. The present one is all right, but they would be much better to negotiate use of the CSA lounge, which is much better.


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    stevescoots
    Participant

    VK, thanks for suggestion and would jump at it now..except they wont take our bags off…..

    DG & VK, the PRG lounge is not too bad, the CZairlines one has a nice across the apron view! I am in the basement that is AF’s lounge, and yes a fellow flier just found a cockroach in the bread!


    DavidGordon10
    Participant

    Yes, VK, that is it, but as someone posting on the flyertalk thread you provide says, if you are using Priority Pass to get in, then it is valid in the Menzies lounge as well as the CSA lounge – and one would always choose the CSA lounge. This one is OK (and can get very crowded, although not today), but the OK one is more OK, if you get my drift.


    Vertrek
    Participant

    Hi Steve,

    I am sorry to hear that you are having a horrible journey.
    The fog is really bad here at the moment (this morning I can’t even see the house in front of me, but it’s getting better now) and it is not only in Amsterdam but the whole nation, apparently.

    This delay is due to safety reason, look at the bright side, at least they opted the safe way to divert even though it will cost a lot of money to do that. It happened to me once from LCY to AMS, all BA City flyer was canceled from LCY while CityJet departed. I had to traveled to T5 from LCY and all cost were on me. No compensation or whatsoever. I arrived in AMS 8 hours later. And as much as I was annoyed I kept telling my self that BA did that for my safety, and it helps a bit. =)

    If you want, try to tell them nicely about your horrible outbound experience and maybe asked them to rebook you to tomorrow flight and take a rest and explore Paris for a bit. It’s 8*C and sunny in the city according to my iPhone. Try to make the most out of your situation, but if not, have a safe journey home. =)

    Edited.

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