KLM deploys more people to handle compensation claims from snow cancellations
KLM is temporarily deploying additional staff to process the increased number of compensation claims following the snowy week at Schiphol Airport in January. The airline canceled hundreds of flights due to the winter weather and is struggling to process all customers’ questions and complaints.
CEO Marjan Rintel spoke of a disappointing start to 2026 on Thursday. “It’s a shame the year started this way. It’s affecting our passengers; that uncertainty is unpleasant.”
The CEO previously said that communication should have been better. An evaluation is underway with Schiphol Airport to determine what further improvements can be made. The results are expected at the end of March.
The chaotic first days of this year cost Air France-KLM, KLM’s parent company, €90 million.
Rintel declined to comment on whether KLM would claim damages from Schiphol. “My priorities now are the evaluation and handling our passengers’ questions. After that, we’ll look further.”
The goal of the evaluation is to be better prepared for future snowy weather. “Questions arise such as: how do you make something happen and how much are you willing to invest?” Rintel said. She spoke of “extreme weather that occurs once every 15 years” and was “felt throughout the Netherlands.”
This month, flights from Schiphol were also canceled on several days due to wintry weather. On Sunday, KLM had to cancel at least 150 flights due to snow, and more flights were canceled on Thursday.
In addition to hiring extra staff, KLM is also making greater use of digital solutions to catch up on overdue claims. The number of claims is also higher due to a baggage outage at Schiphol in December, which resulted in approximately 20,000 suitcases getting left behind at the airport.
