~* Good or Not? It all totally depends on your Luck *~ (KLM)

Member Name: Blueberry_smiles

Product:	KLM
Date:	27/07/05 (2284 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap and if you have a bit of luck on your hand, you might be alright.

Disadvantages: Where do I even start?????????????????

~* Some background information........... *~

I usually fly to Hong Kong by KLM and I have been traveling with them for the last four years. I usually choose to fly from Newcastle to Hong Kong via Amesterdam. Although I have had problems flying with the airline in the past, I still insisted flying with them last september because they were the cheapest airline avaliable from Newcastle to Hong Kong. In Newcastle Airport, there are only a few airlines to choose from such as Air France, KLM or British Airways and only very recently Luthansa.

As I mentioned before, I have had a few problems with flying with the airline before but it was never anyting major. First of all, the flight from Newcastle to Amesterdam is almost always delay without a shadow of doubt. Although we leave Newcastle at 10.30am and our connecting flight at Amesterdam to Hong Kong isn't until 4pm, there has been so many times that we don't get to Amsterdam till 3.30 and we have to run from one end of the terminal to another. (For those who have been to te Amesterdam Airport, you guys would probably know how big the place is ) There was also one time that we actually arrived at Amsterdam on time and since we knew we had 3-4 hours spare, we went to the food court and had our lunch there. All out of the sudden, they had put the flight to Hong Kong forward and it was a good job that we checked the screen every 20 minutes and so we abandoned our food and ran across the terminal to catch our connecting flight. This happened again with my brother. His flight was meant to leave Amesterdam at 7.30pm and he was at the boarding gate by 7pm and the lady just simply told him that the plane had left without him. There were another ten people who were stranded like my brother and they had to wait another two hours to catch a connecting flight to Edinburgh and get the coach back down to Newcastle. He was meant to arrive at Newcastle around 8pm ish and ended up arriving in Newcastle at 1-2am.

But absolutely nothing prepared me for my trip to Hong Kong last september. It as truly a nightmare.

~* My nightmare journey *~

Last September, Me and my parents were heading over to Hong Kong via Amsterdam. Again the flight at Newcastle was delayed due to a technical fault. We were meant to leave Newcastle Airport at 10.30am and didn't ended up leaving till 2pm and we did not get any compensations nor food nor drinks. We were sitting at the boarding gate for the whole time as they never gave us a exact time of when we would be leaving and we were too scared to go anywhere knowing KLM's reputations. Finally when we did leave Newcastle, we were already quite worried about our connecting flight. When we got to Amsterdam it was already 4pm and we know our flight to Hong Kong was leaving at 4.30pm so we ran across the terminal along with 6 other people and YES, we did make it to the gate and they were still doing FINAL CALLING for other passengers. HOWEVER, when we got to the gate, the lady said to us that we would not be boarding this flight as our luggage would not be able to get on this flight and the lady said ever since september 11th, we cannot travel without our luggage. Finally, we accepted defeat and went to the desk to enquire about our next avaiable flight. The women at the desk was rude and un-sympathetic and made it sound as if it was our fault that we missed the flight. There was another couple who were on the Newcastle flight to Amsterdam and they were heading towards Dallas, United States and their next avaliable flight wasn't until the next evening so we were a bit frightened by it. Nevertheless, we were put on the next connecting flight to Bangkok and we would be flying from Bangkok to Hong Kong and there was another four hours wait until our flight. The flight was also a nightmare as I was separated from my parents and had to sit sandwiched between two strangers so I couldn't go to the toilet or for a walk whenever I wanted. When we finally got to Bangkok, there was another 2 hours wait because the flight was delayed for an hour.

Finally, we arrived at Hong Kong at approxmately 7pm. We were supposed to arrive at 9.45am. But we were pleased to finally get there to Hong Kong and we made zero hassle and just got on with whatever they told us. Then, we were waiting at the conveyor belt for about half an hour until there didn't seem to be anymore luggage coming out. We went to the desk and asked and we got exactly what we feared, our luggage were lost and they were still sitting at Amsterdam. Now, this is the bit that I didn't understand. The reason they wouldn't let us board the plane in Amsterdam to Hong Kong was because our luggage couldn't get on our connecting flight. Once again, we were defeated and they told us our luggage would be there the next morning. So therefore, me and my parents had no clean clothes and no nothing and it honestly effected our whole holiday there. And NO we did not get our luggage the next morning, we got it the next evening at 11.30pm. Then there was another shock in store, they broke my Brand new Samsonite suitcase that I just brought. It was worth 129 British pounds and they had ripped the handle and the lock off.


~* On the Way home *~


Honestly, I truly thought that was the worse flight I had ever had. The whole journey lasted for nearly 24 hours and to arrive there with no luggage was just the tip of the iceberg. We truly thought the journey home back to NEwcastle could not get any worse but we were once again proven wrong. Our flight from Hong Kong to Amsterdam, it was a smooth journey, everything was on time and we were glad that we were nearly home when we got to Amsterdam. Then we checked on the screen and it said there was going to be a four hour delay due to TECHNICAL faults. Okay, we accepted that and got out 10EURO each voucher to eat at the food court. We were okay with it and we were due to fly out at 8.30pm instead of around 5pm. So when we got to the gate, everything was fine and then it was about 30minutes before we were meant to fly, there were other passengers coming in saying that the flight is CANCELLED. And then the KLM staff actually confirmed that and said that because the technical fault could not be fixed so our flight would be cancelled. But what I did not understand was, 1) why were we not told when we first landed in Amsterdam and were hanging around the airport for four hours? 2) KLM is base is Amsterdam and I did not believe for a second that there was no alternative plane avaliable to us? If they had told us earlier, we could have been transfered to other airports like Edinburgh, Manchester or anywhere in the UK coz we just wanted to get home.

So we ended up spending a night in Amsterdam. The staffs were appalling. They were un-sympathetic. When I ask them questions about being transfered on another flight to other UK airports, she basicially just said either follow her or risk not having hotel for the night. We were not allowed to get our luggage so we had to sleep on our dirty clothes. Our next avaliable flight was at 2pm the next day and it was a drag.

~* Conclusion *~

On the whole, our holiday was just tainted with the horrible services that we recieved to Hong Kong and from Hong Kong. I felt as though the staff could have been more understanding and sympathetic as it was through no fault of our own that all this had happened. There was a lot time that I felt as though they did not make all the avaliable information to us. When I asked for vouchers to eat at the airport as our flight weren't leaving till 2pm, the lady at the desk were basicially giving me evil looks and practically throw the voucher on the desk.

~*Insider Secret *~

A little insider secret from a friend of mine that works at a travel agent. They say that KLM always overbook on the flights and whenever it is full, they try and make any excuses avaliable such as wrong name on the boarding card, their luggage are not on the plane, change the boarding time etc etc etc in order for people to miss their flight so that their plane have enought seats.

~*Overall *~

Although KLM is the cheapest airline going to Hong Kong from Newcastle, I honestly would think twice about traveling with them and if there was alternative to other airlines, I would actually prefer to take them instead of KLM. I seem to distrust their member of staff and have little faith in the company. When the plane is delayed at Newcastle, I am never surprised or shock and as for whether or not we would make out connecting flight, it honestly depends on your luck that day. Its as if KLM picks names out of a hat to see who would get on the plane that day and who wouldn't.

Summary: Are you feeling lucky today? If not, don't even think about KLM!