interesting security story: flew flight but not on passenger list...
 

So I finally have an interesting experience to share here: I am in NUE for business, came here with the KLM afternoon flight yesterday. As things went faster than expected, I tried to change my fully flexible ticket, our travel agency told me that according to KLM, I never took my outbound flight: they checked the passenger manifest twice and I was not on it though I can assure you I was, sitting in 17A, munching on my cheesy snacks. Actually, they even had my bag labeled for gate check (but I managed to take it on the plane anyway). Aside from the fact that I now have to spend the better part of the afternoon at the airport trying to get things sorted (I am booked on this evening's flight but I have to pick it up at the airport desk) and the ridicolous pain it will be to get my miles (it was a last minute booking in fare class B, so they will give me those miles!!!) It is a rather big security lapse if you ask me.

Thoughts, anyone?

Update: I could not be rebooked since my outbound is still open. Easy (and cheapest) solution: cancel my ticket (so outbound and return) all together and buy a one-way. There goes my qualifying segment and expensively paid miles...

One message on the KLM FB page later and an offer to even refund the one way ticket I bought to get back home and some miles, together with a 'heartfelt' apology. Of course the message got deleted - what airline would want 'security lapse' on their FB page but my Boss sure is happy. Now hopefully it'll never happen again - for them or me!

Might be more common than you think. I had this on Delta once - and they gave me a form to sign (affidavit of flight) where I essentially had to sign that I really flew, possibly had to be notarized - can't remember now. Regardless, the fact that they had a ready to go form suggests it does happen a couple of times.

With millions of passenger flights a day, is it that hard to believe that a name can be inadvertently left off the airline's FF record ?

It looks like OP had a last minute change, flew the flight, and the airline did not record it properly. OP contacted the airline and the issue was resolved.

Nothing to see here folks, move along.

Actually, the OP did not have a last minute change on the outbound. I flew as ticketed, checked-in, scanned my BP at the gate, even got a label for a gate check, yet KLM says I was offloaded at some point, they can't explain why or how. It is not about the FF (frequent flyer?) Records, but I was not even on the passenger manifest, which is a huge NO-NO in terms of security.

Thus you might not think it's so special, but KLM certainly is, given the amount of internal email it is procuring (I have a friend who works for KLM) I am sure it does happen more often, but that does not mean it should!

Happened to me, once. Had accepted a VDB for a redeye LAX-JFK flight (oversold in J, got offered a very nice voucher, hotel, dinner, and first flight out the next AM in F). Was just waiting at the gate for them to finish boarding, so I could get my hotel and dinner vouchers printed. For some reason, they ended up with one free seat in F, and there was some issue with non-revs (I think the GA messed up, and didn't realize there were non-revs, and shouldn't have issued the VDB compensation). So, the GA says "go ahead and board, take the one seat in First, the FA knows what's going on." No boarding pass, no nothing. Got on, FA points me to an F seat, sat down, and we left. The VDB voucher was still valid, so I essentially got the VDB voucher and an upgrade to First. Never did get the miles for the flight, but decided that it turned out well enough I wasn't going to bother and risk getting the VDB ($800 if I remember correctly) voucher cancelled, or get the GA into trouble.

I had a similar incident once. Back in 2005 I took a vacation trip to Paris. Evidently the French immigration agent forgot to stamp my passport on entry into France, and during the boarding passport check the AA gate crew did not want to let me board since they could not find an entry stamp. The frustrating part was that my wife boarded just before me, and they would not let her deplane to help translate what was going on. All the gate agents (and later airport security) folks would tell me is that they thought I snuck into France and therefore could not legally board the aircraft (even though I could produce my boarding pass from DFW-CDG). Obviously it eventually got resolved, though with a bit of frustration and anxiety

I once was the last one to check in a flight Rome to AMS... went through all security checks and realised at the gate while boarding they gave me a boarding pass from another person.

Made a complaint at the gate, had to get out with airport police to the business lounge counter to get a new BP. Person at the check in got fired immediately, but security personnel not...

http://roadwarriorvoices.com/2015/03...r-flight-home/

I suppose it does happen far too often after all.

Just an update:

So... apparently their offer to refund my one way was a miscommunication from the Social media staff. Can't say I am not surprised (flying for free would have been an amazing deal) but their communication leaves a lot to be desired. After going back and forth a little, asking them for a statement that they were not going to refund the one-way as I had already told my employer (and I did not want him to think put the money in my pocket), they offered to pay the difference between half the return and the one-way. Ok, if you do want to give me money after all - great! And 5000 miles to boot. However, no feedback yet on what they think that happened (officially or unofficially)