Tanzania safari report (abbreviated) Jan 09

Great baby ele sighting. Hopefully that baby will be enjoying the wilderness for years to come.

Looking forward to reading more and seeing photos eventually.

Well, the saga continues. We were told to go back to the Dar airport this morning at 4:30, and we all got there only to find out that the plane is still not fixed. We are talking about a 777 aircraft. After 32 hours, they still don't have it fixed, yet they don't have a single employee at the counter at the airport. I searched for any KLM employee that I could find, so I could get some answers. So I called their international number, explained my case, and she ended up hanging up on me. And I wasn't even fuming yet. No information, no answers, no schedule. Just sit and wait at our hotel until they notify the hotel.

I am massively disappointed that KLM would strand an entire wide body plane of people here with no clear path towards getting back to Amsterdam. At best I will get home 2.5 days late, or around 56 hours. That is best case. And KLM claims that all of their Nairobi and Dar flights are completely booked up, as well, so there are basically no options. Some of the people in my group are actually being told that their business class seats are being downgraded to economy and will fly out on a different plane flight that isn't even a normally scheduled plane. So that brings more questions than answers right now.

I have made reservations at the AMS Hilton, just in case, but I suspect I will have to forfeit if we don't show up.

KLM is definitely on my doo doo list right now.

We had a similar problem with South African Airlines, but they handled it very well.
We turned back to Frankfurt half way to Johannesburg.
They immediately put us up at the Airport hotel, supplied our needs, and kept in touch by having a rep. at our hotel.
We left at 4.00 p.m. the next day which meant a 11 hour layover in Johannesburg for us, as we were landing at 2.30 a.m.
They once again offered was changed at the last minute, so another 2 1/2 hours was added, and we lost the money for 1 1/2 days at Lion Sands.
South African Airlines always seemed aware of where we were heading, which increased our confidence level.
I am sorry that you have had problems with KLM
We were in Holland on the infamous Sept.11.
I can't tell you how well they handled the situation.
24 hour rep. at hotels.
Walkie Talkies, so that we could wander the city and be called when a flight became available to fly home.
All other airlines with no exceptions simply stranded their passengers, and would not even answer their phones.
Hope you get home soon.
We have not yet started our return flight.
Your trip sounds amazing.

sorry, I think faster than I type.
I left out that they offered us a hotel in Johannesburg as well

Sorry about your problems there Andy, but still interested in hearing how it is being (not) handled. I would have expected better from KLM. The rigors of travel and joys of being a tour leader . Hope your next posting is good news.

regards - tom

Thanks, Tom. Massive frustration over here, primarily because KLM refuses to be good communicators about what is going on. Supposedly there is another 777 plane that has been sent to pick us up. If this is the case, we will be 2 days late. If not, who knows when we will leave. I would have been better off flying to Nairobi and jumping on a KLM flight from there.

At best I will be home 48 hours late. I made hotel reservations at the Schipol Hilton just in case for tonight, so I am going to have to eat that fee right off the bat.

KLM is going to have a nice letter from me (not that it matters or that I have any clout whatsoever).

Sorry about the delays. With cutbacks and less revenue I am wondering if your predicament will become more common.

Just keep thinking of the baby ele back in Tanzania and your baby at home.

Such a pity for you andy!

I particularly HATE when people gamble with my time - for whatever reason!

Of course sh§§ can happen with any airline but KLM is a NO NO for me because of their luggage problem in Amsterdam which creates many safaris without luggage.
And your experience just adds to my decision.

I have flown them once and never again.

SV

We finally made it to Amsterdam!!! 48 hours late, mind you. Time to go find a supervisor and squeal.

Interesting updates. All down hill now for ya'll!!!!!

regards - tom

Yeah, just waiting for my connecting flight back home. Ready to get on with it. Heck, I may even be able to watch some of the Super Bowl with my two sons in my lap!

Andy hopefully by now you have made it home & got some superbowl time with your boys. Did you end up having to overnight in AMS or did the flight end up getting you in there at a time that you just waited for a connection? I would assume/hope that if you had to overnight that KLM paid for that one!
J

Jules, I finally made it home and I was able to spend the rest of Sunday with my family. I didn't have to overnight in AMS, as we arrived about the same time of the day that I would have normally arrived. I did forfeit my payment to the hotel, though. Oh well. It was insurance, in case 300+ people on my flight all wanted an overnight at the only hotel at the AMS airport.

Sorry to hear about your problems with KLM, Andy, but am glad you got home safe and sound. A similar thing happened to a friend of mine, trying to fly out of Houston on KLM. An engine blew while they were boarding and their departure was delayed 27 hours. Because it's the only KLM flight there, contract gate personnel are used and they disappeared! They had no overnight lodging, no alternative flights, a near riot at the gate, police were called in... what a mess! Her arrival at JRO was delayed two days.

I've had other problems with KLM, as well, but there aren't many alternatives at this point.

wow, what a horrible story!

Glad you made it home Andy! You were so right to reserve a room "just in case" it is worth the money if the worst case senario happened!
J

Hi Andy,
Glad you made finally made it back. KLM is not one of my favorites either, but the alternatives are just not there. Last March, on my return from Tanzania, they canceled our flight from Amsterdam to Dulles. Instead we had a 10 hour layover in Amsterdam and then they flew us to DETROIT. They simply canceled our earlier flight to Dulles with no explanation. Evidently the airlines are the exception to the common belief that competition creates a better product or service. I thought you were doing an Antartic trip, I didn't realize that you had back to back Tanzanian safaris. How did the crowds compare to same time last year? I'm anxious to hear how you liked the Nikons.
Regards-Chuck

the only hotel at the AMS airport

There's now also a Yotel so at least there are 2 choices airside.

Patty,
Could you elaborate on the "Yotel"? Last March we were unable to check into the regular airport hotel because they had major construction underway. I didn't know there was another hotel inside the airport. Thanks
Chuck

Here's their website www.yotel.com. I haven't stayed there myself and I believe it opened sometime in latter part of 2008 so it didn't exist when you went through last March. There is a review toward the bottom of this thread http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=35148415

Both the Yotel and Mercure are airside.

Patty,
I checked it out and it looks good. It's those 5 hour + layovers that drive me nuts. Not enough time to leave the airport and no place to clean up and shower. Now if KLM would get their act together we might arrive ready to hit the ground. I wonder if air traffic to Africa (all destinations) is showing the effects of the economic downturn? Flights more or less full etc.?
Chuck

You can also just pay for a shower at the Mercure if you just want to freshen up and don't need a room http://www.schiphol.com/web/show/id=86676/langid=42

KLM stinks!

Yeah, I am still amazed that during my phone conversation with KLM they hung up the phone on me. So I call with a complaint about their service and I actually receive worse service.

I sent a long message through their web site, but haven't heard a single peep out of them in 4 days.

What is sad is that I have no other choice for my airline carrier when I fly to Tanzania. I am not in the mood to fly to Nairobi first, and KLM is the only direct flight from Europe into Kilimanjaro.

Joburg is another story. I have many other options, and I will likely be using those other options.

Hate that!

Glad you finally made it back. Once you get settled I'm hoping that you'll treat us with some baby elle. pics.

Would also love to hear more about your overall experience.
No Rush, though.

Sorry about the delay in getting a proper trip report written up, as well as some (any?) images. I always seem to find myself smack dab in the middle of gazillions of emails and voicemails. And that doesn't even mention my other job of being a father and husband, which doesn't wait for me to process my images.