KLM passengers who saw their flight canceled on Saturday will receive a refund within seven days of the extra costs incurred, for example for an overnight stay. The airline asks travelers concerned to report to KLM.
The company says it will process applications from travelers as soon as possible. “We look at the circumstances of the cancellation per flight and per case and we follow the European guidelines,” said the company.
“For example, we look at the reason for cancellation, the length of the delay and whether or not a rebooking has taken place.” The airline is also looking at additional costs. “We will compensate and pay within the specified period of seven days to everyone who is entitled to compensation.”
Travelers can be reimbursed for extra costs
Travelers whose flight is canceled can usually choose between a rebooking or a refund. If they want their money back, airlines have to pay it back within seven days, which is what KLM plans to do. The company also takes into account passengers who were in transit and who missed a connection due to the cancellation.
In addition to the costs of a hotel, victims can be reimbursed for meals and refreshments, provided that these costs are in reasonable proportion to the waiting times. Compensations can also be paid in accordance with the generally applicable rules. The compensation can be up to 600 euros for a long-haul flight.
KLM intervened on Saturday because it was very busy at Schiphol. In addition, only one runway was available due to maintenance and unfavorable weather. As a result, fewer flights could depart, making it even busier.
The airline therefore decided to fly dozens of aircraft back to Schiphol without passengers, because it thought that the airport could no longer handle the extra travelers. KLM speaks of force majeure, also because the decision to keep only one runway open came not from the airline, but from air traffic control. He thought it was necessary for safety reasons.
A total of 42 aircraft returned to Schiphol without passengers. The company did not give numbers of victims of travellers. They flew to the airport on a later flight. That is usually the next flight. On Sunday, the flights were again carried out according to schedule.
Problems at Schiphol for weeks
The airport has been struggling with staff shortages for weeks, including security and handlers. This causes passengers to end up in long lines. KLM announced on Friday that it would cancel up to fifty flights a day during the Whitsun weekend to keep the situation manageable. No cancellations are planned for Monday, according to KLM.
According to a Schiphol spokesperson, it will be “busy but manageable” again on Monday. This was also communicated during the long Ascension weekend, when about 190,000 passengers departed and arrived on Sunday, May 29. According to the spokesperson, it concerns similar passenger numbers on Monday. The Marechaussee also says that they have experienced “no crazy things” as a result of the crowds.