Dutch consumers association Consumentenbond says it will take airline KLM to court unless it scraps the ‘no show’ clause in its terms and conditions by December 12.

The clause states that all the following flights attached to the ticket are cancelled if a passenger fails to turn up for a particular flight. So if someone misses an outward  flight, the return journey will be automatically cancelled. If the passenger wants to make use of the return flight, they have to pay a hefty fee.

The Consumentenbond says it receives regular complaints about the problem and cites the case of a man who could not fly with the rest of his family from Amsterdam to Munich because he was sick.

He got to Munich by other means but when the family arrived to check in to fly home, he discovered his ticket had been cancelled. He had to pay €250 to travel, only to be allocated the same seat next to his family as in the original ticket.

The Consumentenbond is one of nine European consumer groups hoping to force airlines to get rid of the clause in a concerted campaign. ‘The ‘no-show’ clause is downright unfair. The passenger has paid for the tickets and expects to be able to use them,’ said Monique Goyens, director of European consumer lobby group BEUC.

‘You might have missed your outbound flight, or found a more convenient way to get to point B, there is no excuse for airlines to cancel the remainder of your ticket.’

KLM told broadcaster NOS that it first wanted to study the lobby group’s letter before making a detailed comment.

However, a spokesman said that it is important passengers travel as outlined when they made their booking. ‘If a passenger wants to deviate from this, then KLM reserves the right to charge a fee.’