Our daughter is returning from 4 months in Cape Town. She has a ticket to fly from Cape Town to Paris via Amsterdam. Our plans changed, and we are now flying into AMsterdam and meeting her there for a couple of weeks of European travel. When we called and asked the airlines (KLM) about her getting off in Amsterdam (she changes planes here) and that she would not continue on to Pairs, they said she would have to be reticketed from South Africa even though she changes flights in Amsterdam, at, of course, a very high price. We have been told if she just doesn't get on the flight to Paris and her bags are checked, that she will be tagged as a security risk and when we present our passports anywhere, there will be a problem. It was suggested that she request that her bag be checked to Amsterdam, and that she needs access to it, because she is meeting family and wants to give them some gifts, but that this might not work either, especially if the layover isn't long (I think she has two hours in Amsterdam. Do we just have her arrive in Paris and figure out a train to AMsterdam and waste a day of touring in Amsterdam? It makes for a very long day for her. Does anyone know if she will clear immigration/customs with her luggage in Amsterdam, and then could just leave, or will her luggage clear in Paris? Help...any ideas??
Posted by
Freedonia
16084 posts
The airline will only check her bag through to Paris. Her ticket is a flight from Cape Town to Paris. It just happens to include a change in Amsterdam. This is irrelevant. You could change in Frankfurt, Rome or Timbucktu as far as the airline is concerned because your ticket is from Cape Town to Paris. If you want your luggage in Amsterdam, you will have to get a new ticket. The airlines make money this way....not by making it easier for you.
If she just gets off the plane in Amsterdam, and does nothing, her bags will be removed but not given to her. They will be held in storage. Once they find you, they'll want to know why she didn't get on the plane to Paris. If you say your plans changed...guess what....they can make you buy a new ticket before you get your luggage because technically, you're defrauding the airline.
First question, is her ticket back to the U.S. connected at all with the ticket from Cape Town to Paris. If it is, and she doesn't get on the flight to Paris, the rest of her ticket will be canceled.
If it's not, and she's not on KLM for future flights, then technically she could just get off in Amsterdam. The airline could try to charge you but they won't. This is true if she only had carry-on. (She could say she was feeling sick and not up to continuing.)
My suggestion would be this....ship her luggage either home or to Amsterdam from Cape Town, and let her bring only a carry-on case for the flight. If the return flight to the U.S. is not connected to this one, as I mentioned previously, then she could just get off in Amsterdam and leave. (Again, technically, a no-no.)
BTW...the idea of telling them she needs her bags in Amsterdam to "give presents" wont' work.
In Amsterdam, she will have to clear immigration but her luggage will stay on the plane and clear in Paris.
Posted by
Fort Wayne, IN, USA
2349 posts
How much luggage, and what's in it? Can she just give away old clothes and suitcase in Cape Town? Add up the cost of your options. Loss of suitcases & contents vs ticket change vs train from Paris to Amsterdam vs you changing your tickets to Paris. Any of those would be better than hoping she doesn't get in trouble by skipping her last leg.