KLM Flying Dutchman - Medical emergency, KL602

My first medical emergency diversion. Flightaware log here http://de.flightaware.com/live/flight/KLM602/history/20120506/2100Z/KLAX/CYYZ

LAX-AMS, diverted to YYZ after about 4 hours. We were somewhere over Ontario, Canada when a medical incident (heart attack) was reported on the plane. 15 minutes later, it was determined (by 2 doctors onboard) that the patient needs medical assistance and the pilots decided to divert to YYZ.

Paramedics onboard then 1 hour on the ground refueling and off to AMS. Not too shabby... only a 3 hour delay in total. Patient looked to be in stable condition with hopefully only temporary loss of control in half of his body.

Anyways, I was rescheduled automatically onto the next flight to GVA. However, I was surprised with:
1) no emails regarding new itinerary
2) 5eur voucher for food/drink, 5min voucher for phone call

Is this standard on KLM?

I was surprised by the lack of emails; I'm used to getting flight updates on delayed flights and updated itineraries (from Delta).

Vouchers: my total delay ended up being less than 2.5 hours. Also, the FA and pilots were excellent in keeping us informed. (Several passengers could be seen during the 1 hour in YYZ making calls and rearranging plans.) I assume the food/drink and phone call is a courtesy for all delayed passengers on int'l flights?

1) But you were on that flight. I don't see a reason to let you know that your flight wa delayed. I mean, why would they send you an email notifying you about something which you clearly experienced? The new itinerary was eventually sorted out and you were flying to AMS; a stop at the transfer desk was inevitable.

I think choijw wasn't talking about a "delay" email (which, as you say, would be pointless), but an email stating that (s)he had been rebooked, and containing the new booking details (the onward connection to Geneva).

I don't know what KLM does in such a situation...but given that this was a dynamic situation, and happening while you were in transit, perhaps they don't send emails. Not everyone has the ability to receive emails while in transit/connecting, and presumably, given that further delays/rebookings could have occurred downstream, any information you would receive when you switched on your Blackberry in Amsterdam may already be out of date, and therefore misleading/causing further hassle. Given that you would presumably have been advised to check your connection at Amsterdam - always the advice given on KLM - it probably made sense just to have you walk up to the kiosk or counter at Amsterdam and find out what had been done to your booking there.

(PS - it's probably whatever settings I have selected on klm.com, but I never get emails about flights, only SMS/text messages).

I think choijw wasn't talking about a "delay" email (which, as you say, would be pointless), but an email stating that (s)he had been rebooked, and containing the new booking details (the onward connection to Geneva).

I don't know what KLM does in such a situation...but given that this was a dynamic situation, and happening while you were in transit, perhaps they don't send emails. Not everyone has the ability to receive emails while in transit/connecting, and presumably, given that further delays/rebookings could have occurred downstream, any information you would receive when you switched on your Blackberry in Amsterdam may already be out of date, and therefore misleading/causing further hassle. Given that you would presumably have been advised to check your connection at Amsterdam - always the advice given on KLM - it probably made sense just to have you walk up to the kiosk or counter at Amsterdam and find out what had been done to your booking there.

(PS - it's probably whatever settings I have selected on klm.com, but I never get emails about flights, only SMS/text messages).

Correct! I was checking emails at YYZ to see what KLM flights were available AMS-GVA and to see if I was rebooked. The new projected time was offered by the pilot within 15 minutes upon landing in diverted point (as mentioned, refueling and new flight plan).

My setting had both email address and phone (SMS) included. Perhaps a minor point as transfer was achieved at AMS seamlessly, however, I would assume they should report availability on next flights ASAP. If next flight offered out of AMS is unsatisfactory (flights are full/no connection until next day), I would prefer to contact my TA to obtain alternative means of travel (and have the TA deal with it rather than me for the 8 hours I'm on the plane).

While I understand your fear of being "stranded" at Schiphol for ages/overnight as a result of missing your original connection, I think in this case the fear is somewhat misplaced. There are up to 6 flights a day with KLM; even if they had not initially booked you on the next departure after your new scheduled arrival time, the fact that you arrived in time to make an earlier flight could have seen you placed on that earlier departure anyway. If, instead, you had asked your travel agent to arrange alternate transport (which, I assume, means booking you a new one-way ticket) you might have ended up missing that new connection, too, if further delays occurred and you did not arrive in Amsterdam in time to take this alternate transport. And, in any case, KLM would have been obliged to get you to Geneva, and if the only direct option they were proposing wasn't to your liking, you could at least have attempted to get them to rebook you via whatever other means your travel agent would have done. (Not showing up for your rescheduled flight to Geneva, had you just gone with your TA-arranged alternative, could also have caused problems on the return part of your KLM ticket if this was the outbound, rather than inbound, sector of a return ticket)

All in all, I think it's safest to just sit tight and see what your options are once you land.

While I understand your fear of being "stranded" at Schiphol for ages/overnight as a result of missing your original connection, I think in this case the fear is somewhat misplaced. There are up to 6 flights a day with KLM; even if they had not initially booked you on the next departure after your new scheduled arrival time, the fact that you arrived in time to make an earlier flight could have seen you placed on that earlier departure anyway. If, instead, you had asked your travel agent to arrange alternate transport (which, I assume, means booking you a new one-way ticket) you might have ended up missing that new connection, too, if further delays occurred and you did not arrive in Amsterdam in time to take this alternate transport. And, in any case, KLM would have been obliged to get you to Geneva, and if the only direct option they were proposing wasn't to your liking, you could at least have attempted to get them to rebook you via whatever other means your travel agent would have done. (Not showing up for your rescheduled flight to Geneva, had you just gone with your TA-arranged alternative, could also have caused problems on the return part of your KLM ticket if this was the outbound, rather than inbound, sector of a return ticket)

All in all, I think it's safest to just sit tight and see what your options are once you land.

Before 2010, I would have heartily agreed with this assessment (perhaps due to my naivety with travel). However, being stuck in no-mans-land during a business trip with the Icelandic volcano eruption has changed my opinion on the whole manner.

The EU Commission a few years ago asked a travel consultancy to look into 261/2004. They described how inadequate the food voucher is, in AMS the average cost of a bottle of water was 3,50 EUR. Your 5 EUR voucher certainly doesn't leave much room for nourishment.

Personally I prefer it when the carrier refuses to give me a voucher then I can eat a decent meal and force them to pay it later!