COVID-19 KLM flights

[havenlad86]

Hi, I booked a trip to Amsterdam to see an event with 3 friends and booked flights For all 4 of us with KLM, paying with PayPal. Given the current situation, that the UK is currently on lockdown with no travel allowed on leisure grounds, it is physically impossible to travel but KLM are only offering a ‘refund’ by way of a voucher, valid for travel in the next 12 months. This option is of no use to me as the event has been cancelled with no sign of a reschedule and the uncertainty around how long this current situation will continue to have an impact for so I want a refund in cash but they are not playing ball. So, with this in mind, am I able to request a refund via the a Resolution Centre to get my money back as cash and how likely is it that PayPal will find in my favour?

[Equestronaut]

I’m having this exact problem. Had to cancel my husband’s flight from the UK to US. Requested a refund 5 weeks ago and have yet to get a response from KLM. How did your situation turn out?

[havenlad86]

I spoke to KLM twice on the phone (after a 20 minute wait each time) and they point blank refused to even raise a refund request and told me the voucher was my only option even when I challenged the legality of it. I spoke to them through Twitter and got the same stock standard response. They claim that the existing EU regulations do not apply in these unprecedented circumstances, but the European Commission put out a communication around COVID-19 on 18th March which explicitly states if the carrier cancels the flights, offering a voucher cannot impact on the passengers right to a refund, but they are just putting their fingers in their ears and pretending it doesn’t exist! I have raised a PayPal claim and hope that someone from PayPal sees that what they’re doing is completely illegal

[anlj]

Experienced the same situation, any luck on your end?