KLM wants to pay passengers’ compensation claims within a week

KLM travelers whose flights got canceled on Saturday will receive a refund on the extra costs they incurred, for example, for an overnight stay, within seven days. The airline asked travelers to submit a claim for compensation.

KLM said that it would process passenger requests 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 the cancellation, the duration of the delay, whether or not a rebooking has happened." KLM also looks at additional costs. "We will compensate and pay within the specified period of seven days to everyone entitled to compensation."

People whose flight is unexpectedly canceled can usually choose between a rebooking or a refund. Travelers who were in transit and missed a connection due to the cancellation can also be reimbursed for the costs of any return flight. In addition to the cots of a hotel, affected travelers can also get compensation for meals and refreshments in reasonable proportion to the waiting times. The compensation can be up to 600 euros for a long-haul flight.

KLM canceled flights on Saturday. Because Schiphol had only one runway available due to maintenance and unfavorable weather conditions, KLM considered it irresponsible to fly travelers from European destinations to the already crowded Schiphol. The weather also meant fewer flights departed from Schiphol, resulting in the airport becoming more and more crowded. So KLM decided to let dozens of its aircraft return to the Amsterdam airport without passengers.

KLM stressed that this was force majeure. The decision to reduce runway capacity came from air traffic control acting for safety reasons. The processes at Schiphol would also not have been able to cope with the extra pressure if KLM had brought its passengers as planned.

A total of 42 planes returned to Schiphol without passengers. The company did not mention the number of affected travelers. They were rebooked on a later flight, usually the next night. Flights were carried out according to schedule on Sunday, and so far also on Monday. 

Monday is also relatively crowded at Schiphol. "It is busy here at times," one employee said. "But compared to yesterday, it is quiet."