Another KLM flight … troubles again

When i started my journey back to the UK with 5  suitcases i was supposed to check in for my flight Cusco – Lima – Amsterdam – Manchester in Cusco airport , but immediately it turned out that this would not be the case – in fact it seemed that the TACA (Avianca) staff was not informed that there was a code sharing agreement between KLM and TACA (Avianca), so i could not check my luggage in for Manchester, only to Lima, after paying 141 $ by debit card. They told me there that the extra luggage could take up to 4 days to be delivered in Lima and probably would not make it in time for my ongoing flight to Amsterdam … you can imagine that i was quit upset when i entered the airplane to Lima …

I contacted KLM through Twitter and Facebook – got a message back that they would see what they could do …

In lima i had to collect all my luggage and put it in storage until boarding with klm started – cost me just under 50 soles … (18.50 $) …

I tried to contact KLM and went to the information desk of lima Airport Authority – they called KLM ground staff – i explained the situation and got informed that luggage coming from Cusco could not be send on to international destinations due to the Peruvian rules – strange because my sister-in-law had a flight from Cusco to Leeds with the combination LAN – KLM where her luggage was checked in at Cusco airport for Leeds and she did not have to collect her luggage in Lima and check in again – so i think something is wrong in the combination TACA – KLM !!!

Just after talking to the KLM ground staff in Lima i got a message from KLM that they arranged with TACA Cusco that i could check in my luggage all the way from Cusco to Manchester … but i was already in Lima … not really a solution …

When i explained at the checkin desk of KLM that 1) i could not checkin online because their website gave me an error message – 2) i could not pay for extra luggage online because their website gave me an error message – and i explained the problems i encountered in Cusco, they told me that the only solution was to pay the full price for the extra luggage – 118 $ by debit card and 708 $ cash – and file a complaint to KLM and ask a refund for the difference between the online price and the cash on the counter price … they tried to find out at the TACA (Avianca) desk if the 141 $ could be recuperated but no, since it was only for extra luggage Cusco – Lima there would be no refund; mmm, a bit dodgy to work this way …

In total i payed 967 $ to get 4 extra luggage items from Cusco to Manchester; if i could have booked online it would have cost me at least 20 % (193 $) less.

I received a message on Twitter from KLM that my complaint had been passed on to the right department and that i would be contacted soon…

Boarding and flights to Amsterdam and onwards to Manchester went well, now waiting for KLM to contact me …

I hope this review helps other travellers and explains in detail to KLM that there is something seriously wrong with this TACA – KLM combination …

After all i should not have booked a KLM ticket Manchester Cusco for 800,20 £ , but just a KLM ticket Manchester Lima for 600 £ , and i would bought myself a return Lima – Cusco -Lima with one of the local airlines … it would not only have been 200 £ cheaper for a KLM ticket but also saved me all the problems i had on this trip …

After my arrival in Manchester i got several messages from Google about delivery status notification (failure) informing me that several emails i did send to KLM bounced and that ” the user you are trying to contact is receiving mail at a rate that prevents additional massages from being delivered”

I have flown during the last couple of years many times with KLM to Lima Peru and back, never had any serious complaints, but now for this last flight things where totally different, its unlikely that i will fly with KLM again to Peru in the near future.

….

13 november 2013

Received a message from KLM today with an offer for compensation and apologies … good move KLM !!!

5th of december 2013

Until today , the 5th of december 2013 the promised compensation of 149 €  from KLM has not arrived , emails are not answered, a bit worrying …

We received the promised compensation from KLM , after contacting the Twitter staff of KLM , glad thats solved . Thank you…