MilesBuzz! - Unfair WorldPerks & Flying Dutchman

I am looking for help. During 2000/2001 I took 10 business/s class flights on KLM between London and Seoul. I had registered for WorldPerks (WP)/Flying Dutchman (FD) frequent flyer programme. 8 out of 10 flights were not recorded for the reward programme by WP, despite submitting the membership number at the time of checking in. I was not sent any statements for a long time by WP. When I requested for a statement to WP, I found out that the last 8 flights were not recorded. Following numurous emails to WP and FD, where both denied responsibility, finally WP agreed to look in to the missing miles and handed the problem over to FD (because they transfered my membership to FD). It took almost 3 months and around 20 emails between WP/FD and myself for them to acknowledge that I had a complaint which needed answering. I had saved all tickets and boarding passes, which I submitted to FD. I requested to FD that the miles were not recorded due to failure by the airline, hence 6 months time limit should not be applied. Guess, the reply from FD was that my application for the reward was after 6 months, I was not entitled for the miles.


I guess, only large airlines can get away with such treatment of their business customers. First WP/FD made errors in not recording and not informing the customer and finally saying that can not give you miles because it is too late.

Can any one help in resolving this matter to justice and earn the miles I am due from FD, where on my part I have done everything I was supposed to do and in time.

Can any one help please!

While I can certainly relate to your plight, you might get a better response on the KLM Flying Dutchman (http://www.flyertalk.com/forumcgi/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&forum=KLM&number=28&DaysPrune=5&LastLogin=) message board.

If it's any consolation, many Flying Dutchman members are absolutely shocked at the poor customer service they receive. It seems to be a "feature" of the program.

Good luck to you (and welcome to Flyertalk!)


[This message has been edited by MatthewClement (edited 06-08-2002).]

I sympathise with d patel, but as this message has already been responded to by various on the KLM FD Forum, I will not repeat what is already said there.

However, I have to say that it has been very clear for a while now that place of residence matters when registering for WP or FD, and while I am not saying you did this, d patel, it would seem reading this forum and others that many try to 'circumvent the system' by registering for a programme not designated for their area simply because they perceive that programme to be a more 'lucrative' one, hence complicating the problems e.g. see forums where various people have been trying to get onto KLM's lucrative comping scheme recently, even though they resided outside FD areas.

I have to disagree with Matthew that "If it's any consolation, many Flying Dutchman members are absolutely shocked at the poor customer service they receive. It seems to be a "feature" of the program." Both my partner & I have been FD members for some years [both RW...and for some years to come yet] and we think that on the whole it is a good programme, and if we have had problems, they have been sorted by helpful staff whether at KLM UK, or at the Helpdesk in Amsterdam.

We are also members of Lufthansa and BA's FFP's and problems there have been far less satisfactorily dealt with - anyone ever been through BA Executive Club's automated phone system?! Lufthansa Miles and More just ignore communications altogether, while their UK phone operatives standard answer seems to "we'll have to check with HQ in Germany" and then one never hears from them again!

We are not saying KLM FD is perfect, but they are certainly better than many others.


Good luck d patel, and let us know the outcome.


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KLM FD RoyalWing, AA Platinum, UA Prem, HHilton Silver

Most hard-core Flyertalkers would have submitted a missing mileage form within a month of their flight, had they not received credit.

For future reference, KLM flights out of AMS usually credit to FD in less than a week. Out of ICN, within a month.

Checking one's statement online is a good way to circumvent the fact FD statements are usually 2-3 months old by the time you receive them...

FD has its quirks, but once you've learned to work around them, is a serviceable program.

I also welcome you to Flyertalk. Please click on the link above and peruse the KLM board. If you can't locate a suitable answer, you might want to repost your query.

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Craig6z
Buzz & United Moderator
moderator2@flyertalk.com