TONY HETHERINGTON: I booked business class seats – but KLM’s flight had none!

Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday’s ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below. 

I.M. writes: My partner and I booked return business class flights with KLM from Glasgow to Amsterdam, paying £764. 

On the return trip, KLM changed the plane to one without business class, and sat us six rows apart. 

I put in a claim to KLM on the day we returned, June 17, but I am being completely ignored. 

Tony Hetherington replies: Although its major owner is now the French state, it is still fair to say that KLM – Royal Dutch Airlines – is a major operator with a worldwide reputation. You are a regular passenger, regarded by KLM as a ‘Flying Blue’ member, which should come with privileges. Yet in dealing with you it behaved no better than an unreliable bucket-shop business.  

For the return flight from Amsterdam you had booked adjacent seats, but when you checked in you were told you were sitting apart. Staff eventually explained KLM had failed to provide its own aircraft. Instead, it switched the flight to Transavia, a Dutch low-cost airline which KLM owns, with no business class.

At the airport you were refused entry to the KLM Business Class lounge because, of course, you were now booked on a Transavia flight. And when you reached the tarmac to board your flight, you found the aircraft was neither KLM nor Transavia, but an Eastern Airways plane – a small firm based near Grimsby.

Back home, you completed an online complaint form and refund claim. KLM acknowledged this.

But when you logged on to check progress, the reference flashed up as ‘Invalid’. You spoke to a customer service member who promised to chase this up, but you heard no more. You then contacted me.

KLM began to treat me in the same way. My first approach was ignored. My second earned a reply that showed KLM’s staff were struggling to explain what had happened.

I told KLM if it failed to explain, I would advise you to sue. And this seemed to bring a breakthrough.

An email from Joe Miller in KLM Customer Care apologised for downgrading you, and added: ‘I confirm that a refund request for the applicable fare difference has been passed to our refunds department.’

But days later the same Joe Miller wrote: ‘There is nothing further I can add… nor can I offer any compensatory or commercial gesture.’

On the same day, KLM sent you a separate message, saying: ‘Let’s celebrate you! All of us at KLM wish you a happy birthday. Thank you for being a trusted Flying Blue Explorer member.’

You were awarded £40 off a future flight, should you ever be willing to take one. Talk about rubbing salt into a wound!

KLM has offered no explanation, but last weekend you received £78. You assume this is meant to be the difference between cabin class tickets and business class.

There was no note, but the message is clear: don’t rely on KLM to provide what you pay for, don’t rely on KLM to offer a refund, but do expect to have to fight KLM if it lets you down.