J S

Asking the KLM experts here for a family member...
Flew today (4 September) FLR-AMS-JFK
In FLR, all baggage on the flight for all pax was offloaded due to a weight issue supposedly due to winds (pilot announcement). FAs said they had never experienced such a thing and it seems odd to me (and to my family members who are extremely experienced flyers).
Bags were not loaded on either of the two remaining FLR-AMS flights (i.e., still sitting in FLR per KLM and airtags).
Lost baggage report filed at JFK.
Family members were on paid J tickets (if that matters).

So, with an entire flight worth of bags sitting in FLR, a location with, apparently, limited payload capacity on each flight, it seems that it might take a long time to get those bags out of FLR. On top of that, they would have to be rebooked to JFK (and then delivered 100+ miles away to my family members). This all seems like daunting odds.

So, to the KLM experts here: any suggestions to increase the odds of the bags making it to their final destination?

J S

Well, it seems that weight restrictions are a real issue at FLR (lots of flights diverted, weight restricted, etc.). So, that part of the story checks out.

But, would love the ideas, inputs and suggestions on how to get those bags to my family. Thanks!

fifty_two

Well , too late ; they just need to trust the process , companies with very small aircrafts put more stress publicly on weights than those operating big airplanes but both types have similar problems

Just ensure your family member correctly filled in worldtracer case with correct adress , email and phone number , then tell him/her to be patient if FLR-AMS-JFK was the return journey back home

lynxy

If they have so many bags, it's very likely that they send them to Bologna with a truck/delivery service, and then fly the bags from there (Bologna is their regular diversion airport when the planes can't land/take off from FLR, which is often...). Then loading them on a Bologna-Paris or Bologna-AMS should be very easy (maybe even on a "FLR" flight that landed in Bologna instead ).

J S

Thanks, lynxy . That is very helpful. We were discussing last night that that was a good solution, but wondering if that option was in the "menu" available to the staff at FLR even if it is the most logical.

b12e

I won the "Your bags were not on board" jackpot.

Had a 50 minute connection in AMS. Looked like flight was going to be delayed by 20-25 minutes, cutting it in half. Called KLM proactively to potentially go with the earlier flight. Confirmed with airport staff there were 5 unsold seats T-60 before gate closure.

Spoke to CS rep, couldn't do it for free, only at a (hefty) charge (because, reticketing) - Invol change only when the flight was actually delayed.

Fast forward 3,5 hours, and the flight is indeed delayed. We got to AMS (doors open, D79, 15 minutes before gate closed on the other side (B28).

Managed to get to the gate in 13 minutes time (the moving walkways worked, miraculously) with 2 minutes to spare as one of the last pax to board. Luggage didn't. Trying to get an estimate if the bags will get onto a later flight today (there's 2 more KL flights and a HV flight) but so far platinum line has been hold music for 20 minutes. If not, I'll need to do some last minute shopping 😊

I really wish I didn't run to catch the flight. At least I'd probably have been able to claim EU261 due to 3 hour delay > 1500km. And I'd have had my bags, probably. Oh well.

The doomed

Had a similar experience this week, busy a guy to make connection, luggage never made it to Edinburgh with me (thankfully that's home) and it's been a bit of a riot trying to track them down since.

I logged the issue straight away on arriving in discovering baggage was missing them followed up on whatapp and a helpful KLM agent was able to progress things for me.

.....

Original cause was HV delay out of Herakleion due to HV being short staffed. Made my connection in AMS due to the connecting flight being slightly delayed, a mad dash and helpful staff. But bags never made it. Would likely have got £520 compensation each and enjoyed a nice meal in Amsterdam if they had left me on rebooked flight, but they got me back on (which we were v happy about) but the luggage has been a challenge since.
​​​​
Got to EDI and no bags. We weren't surprised of course and that's all well. KL emailed to say bags hadn't made it. But it was only for one passenger. We reported both bags missing to Swissport in EDI. KL got the first bag over on the next flight and I collected it the next morning as I was at the airport anyway. Though Swissport didn't know where they had put it, and I found it on a trolley next to airport exit as I was walking back to the car 🤔.

Second case took KL 24+hrs to locate in AMS. With the updated status showing as located, in contacted them on WhatsApp to locate. The agent was initially polite but giving me scripted messages rather than helping. Then replied an hour later saying they had spoke to the bagged team and my bag was in AMS. From then on the bag was loaded on a flight to Edinburgh and finally tonight Swissport have got it labeled up to get delivered to me.

​​​​​​I imagine AMS is crazy with baggage issues just now.

EDI has had rows and rows of luggage stacked up for months now. Really felt sorry for the Swissport staff.

PS also appreciated the working moving walk ways, think all except one were rolling.

b12e

Quick update here. Worldtracer showed the bags would be on the last flight of the day, so I kept an eye on FR24 and drove to the airport when it was on approach. Got to the luggage handler desk when the flight was being unloaded. And miraculously, the bags were on it. Took them home the very same evening rather than waiting for (maybe) a delivery on Sunday (I was relocating on Monday, so it was a bit of a gamble if I'd have them delivered).

On Sunday evening, got an email from KLM: "We've been trying to contact you about your bags". Same on Tuesday: "We need more information to retrieve your bags".

Emailed the PSL saying I received them already.
PSL answered yesterday to ask if I received them (to the email saying I have them already).
Copied my first email again.
If you can't read 2 lines of text, you probably shouldn't be handling email communications.