KLM won't compensate passengers after ex-CEO's power bank exploded mid-flight

KLM has confirmed that it has no intention of compensating passengers affected by an explosion of the former CEO Camiel Eurlings’s power bank on a flight. Last Thursday, a Boeing 777 from Amsterdam to Curaçao had to return after over 5 hours in the air.

“Passengers have been informed that they may submit claims for reasonably incurred costs resulting from the disruption at KLM. On the basis of European passenger rights, this constitutes an extraordinary circumstance, and therefore there is no entitlement to compensation of 600 euros per passenger," the airline stated on Wednesday.

Eurlings was seated in the business class when his power bank exploded as the plane was flying over the Atlantic Ocean. Charging such devices is not allowed on board due to the risk of fire. The airline says it is still investigating.

A total of 322 passengers were on the flight. Travelers told De Telegraaf that flames reached the ceiling. According to the airline, the cabin crew managed to quickly bring the fire under control.

“I agree with KLM. Flight safety was at stake because of circumstances beyond the airline’s control. The situation is also not inherent to an airline’s operations,” Paul Vaneker from EU Claim told De Telegraaf.

The financial damage reportedly runs into the hundreds of thousands of euros, as KLM had to, for example, cancel a flight to Los Angeles to free up a plane. That plane then brought the affected passengers to Curaçao the next day.

“The only point that might be open to debate is whether KLM took sufficient reasonable measures to minimize the delay. With a 25-hour delay, one could argue that KLM should have deployed a rescue aircraft,” according to Vaneker.