Edelweiss101

Dear all,

Today I had a terrible experience with KLM while trying to travel from Zurich (ZRH) to Buenos Aires (EZE) with my girlfriend. I had already completed the online check-in process successfully and had all the necessary QR codes ready for security checks and boarding. However, we needed to drop off an additional bag for my girlfriend at the check-in desk before proceeding with our journey. This is where trouble started.

Initially, I attempted to make a cash payment (in the local currency, CHF). The desk clerk informed me that they do not accept cash, but her colleague corrected her, stating that cash payments were indeed possible, but they required the exact amount, which in this case was CHF 86.05. I offered to go get the amount in a store, but the clerk insisted that it would take too long, as we had only 15 minutes until the bag drop-off deadline. Nevertheless, I assured her I could do it quickly. In a matter of two minutes, I returned with the CHF 86.05 and placed it on the desk. To my surprise, she then informed me that cash payment would not be accepted after all.

At this point, I asked a gentleman behind us if he would be willing to pay the bag charge with his card. He agreed, and I gave him CHF 90 for his trouble. The desk clerk appeared visibly annoyed by this kind gesture, almost as though she wished for us to miss our flight. Fortunately, the additional bag was successfully checked in under my girlfriend's name.

The situation got weirder when the desk clerk requested that we weigh our accessories (small backpacks weighing less than 2 kg), something I had never seen before in my 20 years of flying, even with KLM, which I have flown with multiple times in the past. After weighing the accessories, everything was deemed satisfactory. Then, for reasons unclear, the desk clerk demanded to see my passport. Regrettably, I handed it over, although I had already completed all necessary check-in procedures, including obtaining my boarding passes.

The desk clerk proceeded to spend a considerable amount of time on her computer and eventually informed me that I could not travel with a temporary passport, which was issued by Switzerland to me as a Swiss national. I attempted to explain that I knew that Argentina accepted Swiss temporary passports, as I had previously traveled there using one. However, my explanation were simply not acknowledged.

The desk clerk called in her supervisor, who concurred that I could not board the flight and that they would need to remove me from the flight for which I had already successfully checked-in for. At this point, I advised my girlfriend to continue with the flight, as she did not possess a temporary passport, and I would make arrangements to catch up with her. If that wasn't enough, the desk clerk mentioned that the leg from Amsterdam (AMS) to Buenos Aires (EZE) was on standby due to overbooking, but we happily acknowledged this as not our problem.

Following this incident, I took the following actions:
- Visited the Cantonal Police office, where they confirmed that I could travel to Argentina with a temporary passport.
- Consulted the Temporary Passport office, which also confirmed my eligibility to travel to Argentina with a temporary passport.
- Spoke with a Swiss airline supervisor who verified in the Timatic system that I was allowed to travel this route, allowing me to take a photograph of the affirmative Timatic result which stated: "PASSPORT EXEMPTIONS: - NATIONALS OF SWITZERLAND WITH A TEMPORARY PASSPORT"
- Contacted the Argentinian embassy, where I got confirmation that Swiss temporary passports were indeed valid for entry.

All four inquiries confirmed that Swiss nationals with temporary passports are fully eligible to enter Argentina with no further requirements. When I asked the Swiss supervisor if he would guarantee me to fly from Zurich (ZRH) to Buenos Aires (EZE) if I purchased a ticket, he affirmed that there would be no issues (though I ultimately did not buy a ticket due to the high cost, exceeding USD 3000).

When I raised these findings with the KLM employees (although it was already too late), and requested a written statement explaining the involuntary denial of my boarding, they informed me that they do not provide such statements. Instead, they gave me the contact information for a hotline that, just so happens, was not in service at the time. After some insistence, I obtained the business card of the supervisor responsible for my involuntarily denied boarding.

I have since submitted a claim on the KLM website, providing the details outlined above. I am fully committed to pursuing this matter to the full extent permissible by the law to seek a refund of my ticket and compensation as stipulated by EU regulations.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or information you can offer to expedite this process or any other useful guidance you may provide.

Thank you for your assistance.

mfkne

You're entitled to rebooking on the next available flight, potentially accommodation and food and drink, and cash compensation for the denied boarding. You can submit your claim via the KLM website - it might be denied, in which case you'd probably best involve a lawyer.

Fabo.sk

This is absolutely IDB. The staff were for some reason angling to deny you for other reasons, in the end they latched to a passport. If I were you I would have demanded to fly to AMS and sort it there.

IDB carries requirement of immediate compensation so remind the station management there. I would not balk at buying the Swiss ticket either if it is within your immediate financial capabilities, this is pretty cut and dry case to win in court.

Edelweiss101

Do you know about the compensations that I'm entitled to from KLM? Can I seek a complete ticket refund, in addition to any compensations mandated by EU regulations? How are transport, lodging, meals handled, do they offer a flat-rate per day or do you need to collect all receipts?

I requested transportation to AMS, but I was informed that it's not feasible to board only one segment of the flight. I also inquired about available alternatives and my passenger rights, but my concerns were completely dismissed. This experience marked the worst encounter I've had with check-in staff (never had bad experiences before), ranging from the entry-level desk clerk to the supervisor. The only one seeming to want to help us was the neighboring desk clerk who appeared genuinely interested in assisting us. Retrospectively wish I had just left the desk clerk that was servicing us and went the other one.

irishguy28

No; if you seek a complete refund it effectively means you no longer wish to travel, and you therefore let KLM completely off the hook; all you can expect, having made such a request, is the refund. You would get absolutely nothing further.

You can never get a refund AND compensation; it is either/or. One or the other - never both.

Never ask for a full refund unless it is your intention to completely abandon travel.

You would have to submit receipts.

However, as a Swiss national it sounds like you may have been departing from home; as such, it is not clear to me whether you would actually get any such "expenses" (accommodation, meals, transport) reimbursed while awaiting your new flight.

If you're just going to stay in your own home until the flight is provided, you're not going to have any receipt to hand in, anyway. (And I would very much advise against booking into a hotel JUST to get a receipt to try and have reimbursed by KLM)

hhdl

Did you have a return ticket and was your temporary passport valid through the date of the return ticket? If not, traveldoc (which is what AFKL use, not timatic) indicates that entry isn't allowed to Argentina.

mfkne

That's not true actually - I got compensation and a full refund from FlyBe for a flight they cancelled, rendering my travel in vain.

Fabo.sk

You can absolutely get a refund and a compensation. Those two things are not tied at all.
You could also get a flight back home, if already underway.

Only thing is you can't get a refund and a later flight to the destination as well. Or, if on return flight, you don't get to go home and get the refund.

Compensation is separate and is always payable, for IDB and cancellation. Maybe you are thinking of delay comp? You can't get delay comp if you never reach your destination, but this is not the case here.

Ditto

Is it though? I'm not an expert in EU laws in any way but it seems like the fault here is that of a 3d party (travldocs), why would KLM be on the hook for IDB compensation?

blue2002

The passenger does not have a contract with Traveldocs; KLM does. The passenger has a contract with KLM and thus can definitely go after KLM. In some jurisdictions (e.g. some US courts?) I believe the passenger could also go after TravelDocs, but it probably would not make sense in this case.

Duck1981

In my experience AF/ KLM is fairly good with handling such claims; my EU261 comps were always dealt within a week.

I think good advice of this forum is when you submit your claim online, leave all emotions out and factually state the issues with short bullet points.

AJNEDC

I have travelled to Geneva and Zurich for work a few times. I have always found airline staff there, incredibly rude. I hope you get your situation sorted to your benefit.
Good luck.

Ditto

That wasn't the point, I'm not saying OP should go after Traveldocs.
To quote EC261:
As per Traveldocs, OP had "inadequate travel documentation", according to multiple other sources OP's documents were fine so IMHO it's not really a 'cut and dry case to win in court.'

danielflyer

That would be a good defense for KLM, but absolutely won�t be enough to avoid EC261 if it goes to court.

blue2002

Indeed, Traveldoc says that Argentina does not accept Temporary Passports issued by Switzerland (https://www.traveldoc.aero). Timatic says Temporary Passports are ok (https://www.iatatravelcentre.com)... Logic would dictate only one of them is right. If indeed Traveldoc is wrong, then from the passenger's perspective this is still on KLM, because KLM chose to contract with Traveldoc as opposed to Timatic. If Timatic is wrong, then kudos to KLM for picking the better solution.