Flight compensation KLM Royal Dutch Airlines:
Seattle — Amsterdam

Legal right to compensation: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight between Seattle and Amsterdam

If your trip departing from Seattle Tacoma International Airport and arriving at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol operated by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines was disrupted, you are not alone against the airline.

European legislation strictly frames passenger rights. For a distance of 7 840 km as is the case here, legal compensation is due if the company is at fault.

Why are you entitled to 600 €?

The European Regulation EC 261/2004 is very strict regarding air passenger rights. The amount of fixed compensation does not depend on the price of your ticket, but only on the flight distance.

This is not a commercial gesture from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, but a legal obligation that applies to all flights within the scope of the directive.

How to know if the flight KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Seattle - Amsterdam is eligible?

To determine if your trip between Seattle and Amsterdam entitles you to compensation, the main criterion is the delay at arrival (and not at departure). It must be more than 3 hours.

Also note that the distance of 7 840 km perfectly justifies the compensation bracket of 600 €. This amount is net and the airline cannot derogate from it in its own terms and conditions.

What are the conditions for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to compensate you?

• Delay at arrival: You arrived with more than 3 hours delay at Amsterdam.
• Cancellation: The airline cancelled the flight less than 14 days before departure.
• Overbooking: You were denied boarding against your will at Seattle airport.
• Airline responsibility: The problem must be attributable to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (technical problem, sick crew, scheduling...).

The impact of a strike on your KLM Royal Dutch Airlines compensation

Not all strikes exempt the company from its obligations. If the delay of your Seattle - Amsterdam trip is due to an internal strike within KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, the European justice recently ruled that this entitles to compensation.

A strike by weather services at Seattle Tacoma International Airport or European air traffic control is an external cause over which KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has no control.

What are your rights at Seattle airport in case of prolonged wait?

During these long hours of waiting in the Seattle Tacoma International Airport terminal, know that the airline has a legal obligation to take care of you. This includes catering, but also the possibility of making two telephone calls or sending emails for free.

Your forced stay at Seattle shouldn't cost you a penny more than originally planned for your SEA-AMS trip.

Steps: how to get your 600 € from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines?

For your Seattle - Amsterdam trip, every minute counts. Note the reasons given by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines staff at the Seattle Tacoma International Airport counter during the incident.

If you don't have the time or the desire to engage in long email exchanges, delegating your claim to lawyers is the most effective solution to see your 600 € arrive in your bank account.

How long does it take to get the 600 € compensation?

Patience is often the watchword. Airlines receive thousands of requests weekly and processing your file for the flight from Seattle to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol can drag on if you don't follow up.

By entrusting the recovery of your 600 € to a trusted third party, you save yourself months of waiting and the anxiety of seeing your case closed without follow-up, as reminders are managed by aviation law professionals.

What to do faced with silence or refusal from the airline?

Don't take KLM Royal Dutch Airlines's email for granted claiming that the airport was blocked by snow without checking official reports.

In the last instance, it is the summons to court that often unlocks the payment. The company KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will always prefer to compromise and pay the 600 € rather than incur additional legal costs for a lost cause in court.