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Feb 13, 2025 | 9:53 pm

#8367

palmanfr

Join Date: Jan 2012

Location: In between BRU, AMS, DUS and LUX...

Programs: AF/KL Ultimate + Platinum for life, BA Gold, A3*G, LH*G, IHG Diamond, MR Gold, HH Diamond, ALL Plat.

Posts: 1,242

Quote:

Originally Posted by sehgalanuj

Usually, the ones I've dealt with seem to be able to solve everything. But, they could definitely have more power. They try their best, and are exceptionally empathetic in my experience, but there are things they need to be empowered with:

Resolving customer care issues for Ultis (EC261, baggage claims, etc.).
Fixing seat blocks.
There's more I'm sure but it doesn't pop in my mind just yet.

Unsure how this is with the French TA, but the Dutch ones have really been great in my experience. There are some new faces, and on weekends especially calls do fall into the Dutch PSL, but the last 2 non-standard requests I had with them, they did fantastically with me too. The broken box incident was responded to by PSL because it was middle of the night on Sunday, but the lady did everything she could have. Last was an unclarity on exact departure time due to last moment crewing issues, and they made sure I was kept up to date, as soon as they knew I was Ulti. Basically, the Dutch PSL lives up to treating me as Ulti when I call in.

Goodness, yes. Customer service agents, even dealing with Ulti/Plat, are just so random. I've had some great ones, some average ones, and some poor ones. This luck of the draw means the poor ones just copy paste the "as Ulti/Plat we value your business and look forward to welcoming you back", but the rest is treated exactly as it would've been for a non-status passenger. There's usually no consideration for the amount of business we bring to AFKL. Is it really worth pissing off customers who brings tens of thousands of business for a couple of hundred euros in a year? I think not.

This issue would go away if Ulti customer service would be dealt with the TA, and Plat by PSL.

EDIT: Btw, the good ones know how to deliver good experience too. Just some examples: (1) they broke my suitcase last month, yes, a normal suitcase and it was an inexpensive bag so the agent quickly just reimbursed me; great experience; (2) after a connection debacle on the way to PVG last year (talked about in this forum), they reimbursed things, offered replacement services for free and got my delayed bag delivered quickly plus paid back items I bought in no time; (3) two years ago during a fog meltdown in Amsterdam, I ended up with a massive bill to get back home because my flights just didn't work out; I filed feedback congratulating the TA for the great help they afforded me, but the agent called me, apologized for something that wasn't their fault, and even offered to try and get me a courtesy payment to offset the costs I incurred because they valued my business. There's more, but just goes to demonstrate that those who want to do good work, do it. The ones who don't, just don't give a hoot and damage the brand of AFKL in the process by driving the loyal customers away.

I have been flying for the last 10+ years as Plat and for the last few months as Ulti and my personal experience when creating customer service claims in the last couple years is that it really depends what you indicate as your home address. I live in the NL, but also have a french address. When filing a claim (whatever is an EU261 compensation claim, a delayed luggage claim or a service recovery claim) on the AF website using a dutch address (and writing in french), the reply comes, by email, in 2 to 3 weeks time and compensation is usually zero - in one case they denied my EU261 delay claim because "the delay was due to the late arrival for the aircraft". For the exact same case, writing the same claim, still in french, with a french address, I typically get a call back between 10 minutes to 48 hours after having filed the claim, with apologies and proper EU261 compensation. The French agent last time indicated that different teams handle claims from different countries and that my first claim was maybe rejected because "the address indicated was different than the one indicated today". I was very surprised about it, I knew that there was a really difference between how KL and AF respond to claims (and hence I do not bother contacting KL anymore) but I was not aware the difference of teeatment was also based on the residence country indicated. Since I am Ulti, I have only done claims with my french address and in. Both cases I experienced an issue, the gentleman on the phone called me back a couple hours after the claim was created, and last time he indicated that their internal target for Ulti customers is to reply within 24 hours. In both recent cases I found the answer and compensation provided in par with my expectations. Haven't tried to file any claim with KLM with a Dutch address since I became ULTI, maybe should try next time there is an issue as a matter of comparison. That being said, my last 2 interactions with the Dutch TA line recently, by email and phone were pleasantly above my expectations, I agree this would be great if the TA could also handle and follow up on CS claims.

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