Terms and Conditions for last-minute paid upgrade option
1. Definitions
In these Terms and Conditions, the following terms and expressions shall be defined as follows:
"Business Class" is the area of the aircraft reserved for customers who have paid a Business Class fare.
“Customer” is any individual holding an electronic ticket on a flight operated by KLM and wishing to purchase a Last-Minute Paid Upgrade Option.
"Economy Class" is the area at the rear of the aircraft reserved for customers who have paid an Economy Class fare.
"Flight Segment" is a KLM flight operated by a single aircraft with a single flight number.
"General Conditions of Sale" or "Conditions" or "Present" are the present Terms and Conditions defining the conditions of sale of the Last-Minute Paid Upgrade.
“KLM” is Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V., incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands, having its statutory seat and registered office at the Amsterdamseweg 55 1182 GP Amstelveen, the Netherlands, registered under number 33014286 in the trade register of the chamber of commerce and industry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
"KLM flight" is a long-haul or medium-haul flight, with a KL flight number, operated by KLM or KLC, that allows the purchase of a Last-Minute Paid Upgrade Option.
- “Long-haul flight”: a flight with a KL flight number between Europe and Asia, Oceania, Africa (except North Africa), the Americas, the Middle East, the Caribbean, or the Indian Ocean where an Upgrade Option can be booked.
- “Medium-haul flight”: a flight with an KL flight number to and from Europe, between Europe and North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia), Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, flights within the Carribean (Cayenne, Fort-de-France, Point-à-Pitre), as well as Miami-Montréal and Cayenne-Belem flights, where an Upgrade Option can be booked.
"Option" means the opportunity for the Customer to purchase a Last-Minute Paid Upgrade under the conditions set forth herein, and subject to availability. Customers may purchase the Last-Minute Paid Upgrade Option as soon as check-in opens for the flight on which they have a confirmed reservation. The Option is valid per Flight Segment.
"Premium Comfort Class" is the area of the aircraft between the Business and Economy class reserved for customers who have paid a Premium Comfort class fare.
“Terms and Conditions” or “Terms and Conditions herein” are the present conditions defining the terms and conditions of sale of the Last-Minute Paid Upgrade Option.
"Upgrade" or "Upgrade Option" is the possibility for the Customer to travel in a higher class than the one initially booked, and to therefore benefit from all the advantages of this new class. The Option may be purchased by a customer under the conditions and with the possibilities set forth herein.
2. Description
Customers who purchase the Upgrade Option receive the following benefits.
Upgrade features, whether purchased online, at the airport, through a call centre or in an KLM agency include the following:
- travel in a higher travel class
- baggage allowance* (see below)
- access to the departure lounge, if applicable, except in the case of an Upgrade from Economy to Premium Comfort (children and young people traveling alone, as unaccompanied minor, may not access the lounge)
- meal served in the higher travel class, subject to availability
- SkyPriority
Upgrade features when buying on board include:
- travel in a higher travel class
- meal served in the higher travel class, subject to availability
*Baggage allowance:
- For travel consisting of one flight segment, the new cabin and hold baggage policy applies.
- In the case of a trip consisting of two or more flight segments, the cabin and hold baggage policy will apply, if and only if, the Upgrade Option is paid on the longest flight segment. (This offer is not applicable when the upgrade has been purchased on board.)
- If the trip consists of two equivalent flight segments (two medium-haul flights or two long-haul flights), the most advantageous cabin and hold baggage policy for the customer will apply.
3. Conditions for booking and restrictions
3.1. A Customer may purchase, subject to availability, an Upgrade Option:
- online (website or mobile application), during check-in
- at a KLM call centre, during check-in
- at a KLM agency, during check-in
- at certain interactive kiosks at the airport when this service is available, during check-in
- at the check-in counters at certain stopovers
- with an KLM agent at the airport
- aboard the aircraft
3.2. The Upgrade Option is offered on all flights operated by KLM that are equipped with several classes and is subject to availability. However, the Upgrade Option may not be purchased by:
- customers who require medical assistance
- customers traveling with a pet in the cabin and who would like to purchase the Upgrade Option to Business Class on long-haul flights
- customers who have requested special seats: "extra seat" and reserved seats for certain bulky and/or fragile luggage
- customers on a waiting list
3.3. The Upgrade Option cannot be purchased online (website or mobile application) by or for customers who have made specific requests at the time of booking that requires prior verification by KLM personnel at the airport. This concerns:
- children or young people traveling alone, as unaccompanied minor
- customers traveling with a child under the age of 2 years of age
- customers traveling with a service dog (e.g. guide dog), except for a paid upgrade to Business Class on long-haul flights
Customers who have pre-booked a special meal or paid meal are informed when they purchase their Upgrade Option that their previously purchased meal will not be available in the class to which they upgraded, nor refunded.
Customers who had booked a seat product are informed when they purchase their Upgrade Option that the amount they paid for their seat product will be refunded, upon customer request, via the KLM website.
3.4. A customer may only purchase one Upgrade Option per flight segment. With the exception of customers who have purchased an Upgrade Option from Economy to Premium Comfort who ultimately purchase an Upgrade Option to Business Class.
4. Payment
4.1. Payment for an Upgrade Option can be made in cash at any local KLM agency or at the airport.
4.2. Payment for an Upgrade Option can be made using the payment cards and iDEAL accepted on the official KLM websites, mobile application, call centres and at any local KLM agency or at the airport.
4.3. Payment for an Upgrade Option can be made using Miles, for customers with a Flying Blue card.
4.4. Payment for the Upgrade Option using Miles & Cash is reserved for customers with a Flying Blue card.
4.5. Payment for the Upgrade Option using Delta SkyMiles is reserved for SkyMiles members.
5. Change & Refund conditions
5-A Terms and Conditions of the Upgrade Option
5.1. KLM agrees to make every effort to respect the change of travel class that will take place following the purchase of the Upgrade Option and in accordance with these Conditions. The Customer is hereby informed that KLM may be forced, for operational reasons related to safety and/or security requirements, to modify the possibility of using the Upgrade Option, even after boarding. In this case, KLM shall not be held liable and the Customer who was unable to benefit from the Upgrade Option purchased in accordance with the conditions set forth herein shall be reimbursed the price of the Upgrade Option in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in Article 5-B "Refund conditions" below.
5.2. The Upgrade Option is personal and non-transferable.
5.3. The Upgrade Option is associated with a KL flight number and must be used on the day of departure for the flight for which the customer has purchased an Upgrade Option.
5.4. The Upgrade Option purchased by a customer cannot be modified or exchanged except in the cases outlined in Article 5-B "Refund Conditions".
5.5. Customers who are members of the Flying Blue frequent flyer program earn Miles and XP on the basis of their initial booking class. Customers also earn Miles for each euro spent on the Upgrade Option on flights operated by KLM (for more information, see the Flying Blue website).
5.6. Customers who purchase the Upgrade Option may only do so on their own behalf or on behalf of a person who has duly authorized them to purchase the Upgrade Option on their behalf and for their account, hereafter referred to as the "Authorizing Passenger". In the latter case, the Authorizing Passenger is understood to have read and accepted these Terms and Conditions.
5-B Refund conditions
The Customer who has purchased the Upgrade Option will be entitled to a refund of the price of the Upgrade Option in the following circumstances:
- The flight on which the Upgrade Option was purchased is cancelled and the Customer is not able to travel.
- The Upgrade Option purchased was not awarded by KLM. In this case, the Customer will be returned to their original class and the price of the Upgrade Option will be refunded. The Customer will not be entitled to the compensation provided for in European Regulation 261/2004.
- The Customer with a Full Flex ticket cancels their flight.
- A Customer with a Full Flex ticket changes their flight, and the Upgrade is not available for the new reservation.
The Customer may request a refund of the Upgrade Price by filling out an online claim form accessible via the "Contact Us" section of our website.
6. Force majeure
KLM shall not be held liable and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations in the event of non-provision of all or part of its services defined in the Terms and Conditions herein if such failure is due to force majeure, as defined or interpreted by the applicable country law. In this case, the Customer shall not be entitled to claim any compensation, damages, or interest for any direct or indirect damage suffered as a result of the failure to provide the services.
7. Privacy statement (KL)
8. Claims
Any claim concerning the reservation, payment and/or provision of the Last Minute Paid Upgrade Option shall be addressed to KLM via the online claim form accessible via the “Refunds for extra options” link in the “Support” section on the Website.
9. Modification of these Terms and Conditions
KLM reserves the right to modify these Terms and Conditions at any time. The purchase of the Upgrade Option shall be subject to the Terms and Conditions in force at the time of booking, unless a change to these Terms and Conditions is required by law or a governmental authority (in which case this change will also apply to all orders already placed).