On http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2
there is a thread called: "Any airlines that have done a GOOD job handling problem situations?"

Here are some of the replies:

Reply 1:

KLM is tops in my books when problems occur.

At Amsterdam the flight to Venice was delayed for hours as the Italian flight controllers had gone on strike. The KLM staff knocked themselves out to communicate and keep us all up to date.

Another time a KLM flight out of Venice was delayed due to fog. I could not believe it, they had staff at Amsterdam meeting us at the airport shuttle bus, they commincated with the gate and we actually got on our flight to SFO.

In Bologna I fell and hurt my knee. When I flew home two days later my knee was badly swollen and it really hurt. A KLM staff member got a first aid person to take me to the front of the long security line and took me through security. They then rearranged seats (fortunatly the plane was not completely filled up) so that I could have all three seats in order to elevate my leg. They brought me pillows and blankets and could not have been kinder.

Nonnafelice you had a good idea with this thread. We all love to complain about companies that do not give proper service but we often fail to acknowledge companies that do.

And I agree, the true test is how they deal with the problem.

Reply 2:

LoveItaly, thanks for reminding me of a situation my late grandmother had with KLM. She went on a trip to Africa with a tour. On the third day of the trip, the bus driver was driving like a maniac on a dirt road, and she was thrown out of her chair and broke a vertebrae (sp?) in her back. She had to return home immediately.

The tour company didn't care and did nothing for her, but she couldn't say enough about how KLM took care of her on her trip home. The FA's went out of their way to make sure she was comfortable and ground staff assisted her at the airport during her layover in AMS. Although I haven't flown w/KLM, I still think of this story when I hear about KLM and I am still grateful for their care of her.