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Negligence caused by airport employee

On July 5th, 2014 while in transit on KLM from Toronto to Budapest AXXICOM Transport at Schiphol, Amsterdam, transported my 83 year old frail. jet lagged, anxious travel companion to Security then onto our next gate. The AXXICOM employee would not permit me to accompany my companion, who was under my care and responsibility. That action took my responsibility away. When I finally joined my companion on board I noticed that her carry on, a rolling briefcase, was not with my her. That AXXICOM employee was negligent of her duties in that the carry on did not accompanied its owner, their responsibility.. There was no apparent attempt to have the briefcase unite with its owner after security, the gate, or on board the connecting flight. Nor was there any apparent effort made by AXXICOM to reunite the briefcase at Budapest or any port on our 14 day Viking River Cruise. That carry on briefcase instead was taken, unknown to me, to the Schiphol Lost and Found Department where it was kept for 17 days.

It must be noted that the carry on contained four (4) weeks of physician prescribed medications. Not easy to obtain in 5 different European countries!

That briefcase was not "lost" it was misdirected by an AXXICOM employee, sent to the Lost and Found, and was not released to us until our departure from Amsterdam 17 days later.

It is my belief that there is compensation due, at least to my companion, but AIR FRANCE/KLM and AXXICOM will not accept responsibility.

I have been writing letters to AIR FRANCE/KLM/Delta as well as AXXICOM with no satisfaction. Having said that KLM did issue a cheque in the amount of $250 CDN but stopped payment once it was deposited.

It is my understanding that the EU has legislation in place that ensures delayed baggage compensation. Neither party has accepted responsibility for the negligence by an employee contracted by an airline which affected their client for 17 days. Shame on AIR FRANCE/KLM/Delta and their contractor AXXICOM. I am so very offended by their lack of responsibility and customer care.

Has this type of extremely poor customer service affected other travelers? Diane McDonell

Posted by
660 posts

First let me say I am sorry for your travel companion's distress. I don't understand how you or she would make a trip that long without having the proper medication. I take 3 different high blood pressure pills every day and I make sure they are in my carry on luggage so if checked bags are lost or delayed I will still have my meds.
I see this is your first post on this forum. I am curious to know why you are posting something that happened 2 years ago. Unfortunately we will probably not be able to help you.

Posted by
660 posts

Also, I have never been detained from my travel partner and we make sure we have all our bags before departing any flight. Simply unusual that you would be separated from an 80+ woman that you are primary caregiver to.

Posted by
5847 posts

Did you keep your receipts for the expenses incurred due to not having the bag? You might have better luck appealing to the airline for compensation of actual expenses.

Posted by
3335 posts

You say this happened 2 years ago? What brought this up now?

Posted by
16538 posts

Whoa. This problem is ancient history now.

Honestly? I would not have put 4 weeks of drugs into the care of a frail, jet-lagged, anxious 83 year-old companion to begin with. Why didn't you make that your responsibility?

Posted by
3439 posts

Something doesn't make sense - I don't understand why you were separated from your traveling companion. Why was that? I have never seen people traveling separated for any significant length of time. Further, if she was as frail as you say, why was she responsible for a bag in the first place? Sometimes it makes sense to check a bag.

Posted by
23626 posts

This isn't holding together. Two years old. At least in the US, never aware of the caretaker not being able to accompany the person through security. Now it is rant here. It is a dead issue - too late. Getpacking needs to get packing.

Posted by
5847 posts

I totally missed the date on this. My earlier suggestion to try to claim expenses is moot at this point.

Everyone who flies frequently experiences bad customer service at some point or another. Sometimes you need to just let it go.

Posted by
7803 posts

I'm not sure how posting this in the RS Forum is supposed to help, especially with the 2-year age of the issue.

Seeing " KLM did issue a cheque in the amount of $250 CDN but stopped payment once it was deposited." is a clue that there's more sides to the story than has been shared.

I will continue to fly KLM/Air France/Delta.

Posted by
33820 posts

just a chance we only see half or less of the story?

Posted by
660 posts

Obviously the OP is not responding. I doubt the whole truth is being told.