Customer Service? Try reading the question...

Dear KLM Airline,

I have just been advised that all my award miles expire at the end of this month, and that the only way not to lose them is to book a flight. However none of the locations that I might want to visit seem to be available.

The website is extremely unhelpful when booking from this point of view. It is a little better if know where you're going and when, but when you're trying to choose something from what is available, it is impossible. The locations shown in the Miles Finder don't match the locations shown in the Destination drop-down list, and you have to select the exact dates rather than a range of dates. If one date is unavailable, it tells you the whole trip is not possible. It does not tell you when flights only operate once a week, so you waste your time searching for every possible combination when there isn't even a flight, let alone seats.

It also loses all the information with each failed search so everything has to be re-input every time. It is also very difficult talking with the Australian call centre. The line is very bad; faint & crackly every time. The staff are friendly and willing, but unable to help.

Please could you advise the address of a service centre in or around Perth, WA which I could visit, and sit down with an operator and discuss the possibilities? I don't want to lose my award points, but spending them seems to be unnecessarily stressful. I'm going to need another holiday once this is done!
Thank you in advance for your help.
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Response
Thank you very much for your e-mail dated August 22th, 2011.

Please note that the postal address for the Flying Blue programme is as follows :

FLYING BLUE F-94852 Ivry-sur-Seine Cedex FRANCE
Tel :  (+33) 1 XX XX XX XX
Fax : + 33 1 XX XX XX XX

We thank you for your continued loyalty to the Flying Blue programme.

Your Flying Blue team
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Dear KLM,

I asked for a Flying Blue Service Centre in PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA but I was given a postal address in France. I want to visit a real person in my town, and speak in person to someone who can work your internet booking system. Because I can't.

Please can you help before my award points run out in 10 days' time?

Thank you.
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Response
We have attempted to contact you by telephone in order to complete your file. 

Despite our repeated attempts, we have been unable to get in touch with you. 

We would ask you to contact your Flying Blue Customer Service Centre on (+ 44) XXXX XX XX XXX from the United Kingdom as soon as possible.

We thank you for your continued loyalty to the Flying Blue programme.

Your Flying Blue team
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Dear KLM,

Thank you for your response. I am sorry the mobile number in my profile was unavailable, but I am currently in Australia not the UK (which is why I wanted a Customer Service Centre in PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA not the UK - or France), and your system does not allow me to put an Australian number in my profile. I have therefore removed all numbers from my profile.

My number is +61 XXX XXX XXX.
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Response
We are pleased to inform you that your account has been updated.

You may now visit our websites www.airfrance.com or www.klm.com to check the data that has been entered. To do this, please go to the "Flying Blue" section and log into "Your account" using your PIN code.

In addition, you can change your profile details directly in your personal membership area.

Your Flying Blue team
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Dear KLM,

Thank you for your response.

However you have still not answered my question, and now you have updated my profile incorrectly. The profile is now showing the UK country code (44) with just the end of my Australian mobile number, and you have put it in the wrong field.

I repeat, your system is not capable of taking it.

My original request for the address in PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA for a Customer Services Centre is also still outstanding.

Please, just call me? My number is +61 XXX XXX XXX
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I'll post more updates as I get them. I'm gob-smacked that anything called Customer Services could be capable of this level of uselessness and insulting idiocy. They began at rock bottom and have been digging ever since. They would be out of their depth in a puddle. {sigh}