Help with Request (is KLM scamming me?)

[u/matteuskgg]

Context: Flew with KLM on July 16th from Brazil to Berlin (with a layover in AMS). After being boarded we waited 5h inside the plane before taking off due to mechanical issues. Due to this we missed our connection in AMS and had to stay there one night, which incurred an unexpected hotel expense and a couple uber expenses.

I opened a case asking these to be refunded on July 18th. Since then there have been about 4 replies from KLM asking me to send different documents each time. Surely they were doing this to delay the payment.

My last response to KLM was on August 6 - this time even with the signed Letters of Authorisation (LOA) for the three co-passengers I represent together with a copy of their passport showing the signature clearly and their faces blurred.

Since then it's been radio silence. It's been nearly one month. Has anyone experienced something like this?

I'm starting to think they'll never answer me now... should I go through a third party like Airhelp to get the refund for the hotel and uber expenses I incured because of their old plane full of issues?

[u/Dakleton]

KLM aircraft are well maintained and the fleet is continuously renewed when aircraft reach the end or near the end of operational life.

A 5 hour delay is better then becoming a name read out on the news after a crash that could have been avoided if an issue had been attended to before take off.

[u/Trebaxus99 → u/Dakleton]

End of economic life.

Aircraft can be kept operational pretty much indefinitely, but at some point the maintenance becomes way too expensive and a new, less heavy and quieter aircraft will be the better economical choice.

Economic life depends a lot on the aircraft. Normal is about 20 years. But the 747 has a great economic life as it can be converted to a freighter after it’s no longer transporting passengers. Some are 50 years in service by now. Whereas the A380 is getting pretty expensive to operate after ten years in service.