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Your Trusted Ally for Flight Compensation
Over the years, we have processed 4,200 claims for KLM passengers related to flight disruptions.
We have successfully won 3,800 cases against KLM over the last 7 years.
Over $1,560,000 in compensation has been collected for our clients.
You’ve made every effort to book a KLM flight that would deliver you to your destination on time. You get to the airport early, and then you suddenly find out your flight is delayed or canceled. Can you relate?
While it might be particularly frustrating, the good news is that you might be in a position to collect money for your inconvenience, but that’s not all you’re entitled to. Let’s get into the details about what to do the next time your KLM flight is disrupted.
Find out how much you could receive from KLM right now by entering your flight info, just click the button below.
Do This if Your KLM Flight is Delayed
In case you’re wondering how often KLM has flight delays, in 2022, an average of 73.8% of KLM flights were on time, but they did better in 2023 when their on-time performance average rose to 81.5%. So if you’ve experienced delays, take the following steps.
6 Steps for Dealing with KLM Delays
- Find out the reason for the delay, and keep the answer. You might need this for your claim.
- Collect evidence about the delay. Take photos or screenshots of the KLM app, information boards, etc..
- Track how long the delay lasts. If you wait two hours or more, KLM must offer you food and drinks.
- Keep receipts for out-of-pocket expenses.
- When you arrive at your final stop, write down the time the door was opened at the gate. You’ll need this to determine compensation eligibility.
- Check to see if your flight is eligible for compensation by using our free calculator.
What to Expect from KLM
Thanks to the EU’s air passenger rights regulations, KLM won’t leave you stranded for long periods of time at the airport. In fact, you can expect the airline to help you at different stages of your delay.
2+ Hour Delays
If you have to wait 2 or more hours for departure, you’re entitled to meal vouchers or coupons, plus a free phone card or 2 phone calls of 5 minutes each or 2 emails.
5+ Hour Delays
If you have a delay that lasts 5 hours or more, you have the option of a full refund for the unused parts of your trip OR an alternate flight to your destination.
Discover more about flight delays!
KLM’s Canceled Flights
In all of 2023, KLM was forced to cancel more than 6,400 flights, which amounts to about 3% of the airline’s total. Of these canceled flights, 3,717 of them were from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. Airline representatives spoke with NL Times about the cancellations and stated that:
We have had to cancel many more flights in 2023 than in pre-Covid years. The fact that aircraft cannot take off with a lot of crosswinds, in combination with the fact that only one runway at Schiphol is suitable for use with a westerly wind, meant that on many days, the runway capacity was limited. . . Ultimately, it does not matter to a passenger why a flight has been canceled. It is important for a passenger that they can depart at the agreed time.
A flight can be canceled no matter where it is scheduled to depart, so if this happens to you, take these steps.
- Determine why your flight was canceled. Ask a KLM agent what happened, and keep a record of their response.
- Contact the KLM customer service by phone, SMS, or on social media to get a rebooking. You can also try international phone numbers as these can have shorter wait times.
- Ask for a refund if none of the alternate flights suit you, and rebook a new flight yourself.
- Ask for meal and refreshment vouchers for delays of 2 or more hours,
- Collect any receipts, airline correspondence, photos, and anything else that can serve as evidence for your compensation claim.
- Note the actual time you arrive at your destination.
- Check if you’re eligible for compensation, and start a compensation claim with KLM.
Use our compensation checker to find out if your flight qualifiesIt’s free and you can get the results in under 3 minutes!Free Checker
KLM’s Rules for Canceled Flights
- If KLM cancels your flight without giving you at least two weeks prior notice, you could get between $270 (€250) - $650 (€600) in compensation if the situation could have been avoided.
- You should be also given the choice between a new flight or a refundeven if you purchased a non-refundable ticket.
On the other hand, if you accept an alternate flight, then you can only get compensation if the new booking is at least 3 hours late at your final destination.
When the New Booking is in a Lower Seating Class
You might find that your new booking is in a different cabin class than your original ticket. If you are downgraded, then KLM will reimburse you between 30% - 75% of your ticket price, depending on the distance of your trip. But, if you’re lucky and end up in first or business class then you don’t have to repay the difference.
KLM’s Refund Policy
If you want to cancel your flight, then you should check the terms and conditions of your ticket to see what KLM allows. However, if the airline cancels your flight, then you can get a refund if you don’t want any of the flights they offer. More specifically, KLM will refund all the unused parts of your booking within 2-4 weeks after you file a request.
If you used a travel agency to book your flight, then you’ll need to contact them for the refund.
Signing Waivers or Documents
Be careful if KLM asks you to sign a waiver because these can limit the airline's accountability to compensate you. Don’t sign any document that you don't completely understand.
When You’re Denied Boarding a KLM Flight
If you checked-in and arrived at the gate on time but were prevented from boarding, then you may be entitled to between $270 (€250) - $650 (€600) in compensation if the flight was oversold. You can learn more about this in our article about denied boarding.
If You Miss a KLM Connection
When the first leg of you trip with KLM Is delayed or canceled, causing you to miss your connecting flight, you’ll get a rebooking or a refund if you decide not to continue with your trip.You might also be able to get compensation if you arrive 3 hours late AND all the affected flights are under a single booking.
So, if you are flying from Amsterdam to Dubai with a stopover in Rome, you would get a rebooking or a refund if you miss the connection. If you choose to accept the rebooking and arrive at lease 3 hours late, then you would be eligible for cash compensation.
Early claims have an 72% higher chance of payoutAct now before your claim expires.Check Your Flight
Cash Compensation: How Much Can You Get?
Anytime you fly with KLM to, from, or within the European Union you can get compensated if you end up arriving at least 3 hours late at your destination. The actual amount is based on the overall distance of your flight, as you can see below.
KLM Compensation Amounts | ||
Flights under 1,500km | Flights between 1,500-3,500km | Flights over 3,500km |
$270 (€250) | $430 (€400) | $430 (€400)* |
**KLM might try to reduce this amount by as much as 50%, but AirAdvisor always works to get the full amount.
KLM Compensation & Entitlements
The table below will give you an easy way to compare what you’re entitled to get from KLM in different circumstances.
Disruption Type | Entitlements | Compensation |
Delays | Food and drink for 2+ hour delays Hotel and transport for overnight delays 5+ hour delays give you the choice of a rebooking or a refund | Between $270 (€250) - $650 (€600) compensation if you arrive 3+ hours late and the airline is at fault |
Cancellations | You’re entitled to a refund or a rebooking. If the rebooked flight causes you to be 3+ hours late, then you could get compensation | |
Refunds | You are entitled to refunds for delays lasting 5+ hours as well as if your flight is canceled by the airline. |
Are KLM Vouchers Better than Compensation?
Vouchers (EMD vouchers) will be offered in place of compensation if your KLM flight was canceled or severely delayed. These have a higher value than the cash option, but they come with a few conditions, one of them being their 1-year validity period. Also, you can only use the voucher on flights with KLM, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, and Delta.
Also, you cannot use the voucher towards in-flight purchases or give the amount to someone else to use. So, even though they are more than the cash amounts, they can be restrictive. If you plan to travel within the year, then accepting one instead of cash might be a good option.
Voucher Amounts:
Flight Distance | Voucher Amount |
1,500 km or less | $365 (EUR 350) |
1,500 and 3.500 km | $520 (EUR 500) |
more than 3,500 km | $835 (EUR 800) |
When You Can’t Get KLM Compensation
Unfortunately, there will be situations where your flight will be delayed or canceled because of something KLM couldn’t control. These situations are commonly referred to as extraordinary circumstances, and they include events like harsh weather, air traffic control strikes or restrictions, civil unrest (like the current situation in Israel), and airport problems like a worker strike or runway issues.
The CrowdStrike outage in the summer of 2024 is a perfect example of a situation beyond KLM’s control that affected countless flights. No matter how late you are or how disrupted, the airline doesn’t have to provide compensation.
The Regulations
European Union Regulation 261/2004 is the law that protects your rights as a passenger at KLM whenever you fly to, from, or within the EU. The UK has a similar set of regulations known as UK261 that are basically the same as what they have in Europe. So, if you have a KLM flight inside the UK, your rights will be protected as they are in Europe with the same rules and compensation.
How to Submit a KLM Compensation Claim
If your flight is eligible, and you want to submit a compensation claim with the airline, then here’s what you need to do.
Step One
- Collect all the documents pertaining to your disrupted flight including dates, times, booking reference number, and any supporting evidence.
- Go to the KLM compensation page and either log in or search for your booking.
- Follow the prompts, adding the information they require, and submit.
- Take screenshots of the form as you complete it so you have a record of what was said.
- Double check to make sure the information is correct and submit.
Step Two
When KLM writes back, be sure to keep copies of all their correspondence. You might have to wait for a few weeks to get a response, so follow up with a message. Be patient because decisions about compensation can take 90+ days or longer, especially if your claim is complex.
Watch Out for These Common Problems
The process for getting compensation if straightforward in theory, but passengers who have submitted claims directly with KLM have run into some problems including:
- Slow response and decision time
- Complicated documentation
- Poor functionality on the compensation form
- Claims being rejected because of extraordinary circumstances that don’t apply to your case
- Difficult and frustrating communication with KLM
We Can Help with you KLM Compensation Claim
Whether you want assistance with a claim you’ve already begun, or you want us to handle the entire compensation process for you, AirAdvisor can help.
- Expertise and Experience: With a track record of managing over 400,000 cases over the last 7 years and a customer satisfaction rating of 4.6 out of 5 from more than 22,029 verified reviews, our expertise and commitment to our clients are unquestionable..
- Lowest Pricing: The average family can save at least $130 or more by switching to AirAdvisor from other more expensive providers. We are the lowest-cost service provider in the market, ensuring you get the maximum compensation without hefty fees.
- Risk-Free Service: Our service is based on a no-win, no-fee basis. This means that if we don’t secure your compensation, you don’t owe us a thing. Our commission is withheld from the airline payout.
- Hassle-Free Process: Once you file a claim with AirAdvisor, we take over all the hard work. From case preparation to filing your lawsuit in court, our team handles everything, saving you from the headaches of dealing with airlines.
- Increased Chances of Success: Airlines are more likely to pay compensation when AirAdvisor steps in because they are aware of our successful collection efforts (98% success rate).
Get started with your claim today!It’s free to check your eligibility, and it only takes about 3 minutes. Enter your flight details below to begin!
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