For thousands of airline passengers in Amsterdam on Thursday, The Schip has really hit the fan.
KLM told many of its customers on Thursday that they wouldn't be able to check luggage on flights connecting through Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) as a result of baggage systems at the airport malfunctioning on Wednesday.
This isn't a problem if you only have a carry-on, of course, but it is if you just trudged through the airport with several hefty suitcases that you need to throw onto the conveyer belt.
Even worse, some KLM personnel allegedly informed passengers that they would also not be able to check bags on overseas flights.
This is incorrect, and the current problems should only affect European flights leaving from AMS with a European destination.
Hundreds of connecting flights at Europe's fourth busiest hub, where many of the largest airlines serve 300 destinations worldwide, have been impacted by the interruption.
"Due to a substantial disruption of the luggage system at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol we are facing an uncontrollable scenario which is beyond our control," KLM wrote in a confusing email to travelers.
If a passenger can't travel with just hand luggage, they can rebook their ticket for free or ask for a travel voucher.
Thousands of passengers in transit have been left without luggage on top of the pandemonium that is currently present for travelers at check-in.
The airline has advised customers to use this online luggage tracking link to verify the status of their bags by entering their name and reference number.
KLM's CEO, Marjan Rintel, assured the airline's customers in an email sent to them on Thursday in response to this most recent problem that "extra precautions and resources are in place to bring the luggage returned to its owners and settle the appropriate aftercare and claims."
She continued, "We realize this is extremely frustrating and may make people feel abandoned.
However, you may be confident that we are pursuing your case.
Please make the most of our online rebooking, claims, and refund services.
Despite the airline's claims that the luggage system is now operational, the issues may persist for some time to come, particularly in light of a tweet from a KLM employee that read: "I cannot promise whether there will still be a disturbance tomorrow."
Although it's said that other carriers were also impacted by the technical difficulties, for the moment it looks like the Dutch flag carrier has taken the brunt of the malfunctioning equipment.
The recent catastrophe in Amsterdam is by no means the only one.
This year, there have been more delays and cancellations than usual in addition to the widespread strike activity and the recent warmth in Europe.
Needless to say, bosses at AMS have had another forgettable week.
What should I do if I lose my luggage?
Calm down.
What to do if an airline loses your luggage was covered in a recent piece we wrote.
It is a thorough explanation of how to get it back and how to get paid if you don't.
For the time being, report delayed luggage to your airline as soon as possible (you'll at the very least receive a tracking number that you may use to check the online tracking portal) and save as much documentation as you can.
What should I do if my luggage doesn't fit in a carry-on?
This is a challenging one.
You might just have to rebook and wait it out if you have items that you can only bring in checked luggage or if you simply have too much to fit in carry-on luggage.
On the KLM website, passengers who are unable to travel with hand luggage only can either rebook their journey for free or ask for a travel voucher.
I was late for my KLM connecting flight.
What shall I do?
If you miss your connecting flight, KLM assures you that it will instantly rebook you on the following trip.
Please be aware that your new flight could possibly leave the following day.
Your new flight information will be delivered to you through email or text message.
In My Trip or the KLM App, you can locate your new boarding pass and updated flight information.
Good luck to you everywhere.
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