How Air France–KLM scaled its refund operations thirtyfold – and how Profession supported long-term sustainability
When the global pandemic paralysed air travel, Air France–KLM’s refund systems came under unprecedented pressure: the number of daily refund requests jumped from a few hundred to 15,000. The company not only had to cope with the sudden surge in volume, but also had to maintain customer experience and regulatory compliance.
During this critical period, Profession became an increasingly close partner to Air France–KLM — first as a crisis-response resource, later as a key operational support pillar within the airline’s refund division.
The beginning of the partnership – and why it was needed
The relationship between Air France–KLM and Profession had already begun before the COVID crisis, but was initially limited to smaller, specific assignments.
The turning point came during the pandemic, when the surge in refund requests required immediate capacity expansion.Profession not only responded rapidly but also integrated flexibly and efficiently into the airline’s existing refund processes.
Truly tested in times of crisis – COVID and beyond
During the COVID period, Profession was able to provide competent staff within weeks, who joined the refund operations through accelerated onboarding and close supervision.
Since then, several recurring challenges – such as flight cancellations and waves of customer inquiries caused by weather, logistics or geopolitical situations — have also tested the system. In each case, Profession responded swiftly, reallocated resources flexibly, and helped maintain both operational stability and customer satisfaction.
From vendor to partner
In the early phase, Profession mainly handled straightforward refund cases, but as mutual trust grew, so did the scope of work. Today, Profession manages a wide range of refund types, from simple reimbursements to complex cases involving ancillary services and voluntary cancellations.
While maintaining strict quality standards, the team has become embedded in daily operations, supported by a structured onboarding process, dedicated dashboards and performance indicators.
Sustainability and efficiency – the Profession effect
Given the inherently fluctuating nature of refund volumes, maintaining a constant internal headcount would not have provided a viable long-term solution.
Profession’s flexible model enables dynamic scaling up or down of capacity without compromising service quality. While keeping unit costs stable, the refund process has become more predictable and scalable.
A new operational model is born
Based on Air France–KLM’s experience, involving Profession was not merely about increasing capacity but about creating an integrated, sustainable operational model. Profession not only executes assigned tasks but also contributes to process quality: learning continuously, adapting swiftly, and actively responding to feedback.
Lajos Ferenci
CEO-Owner
Lilla Ferenczi
Chief Operating Officer
Fanni Ferenci
Executive Assistant
„With our experience and adaptability, we are ready to offer similar value to other airlines.”
The future of refund operations
The future of refund management must be scalable, reliable and fully integrated. The Air France–KLM and Profession partnership demonstrates how an outsourced provider can evolve into a genuine operational partner, one that not only delivers, but develops alongside the system. In this model, refund handling is no longer a risk, but a competitive advantage.
Contact us if you feel that your refund processes deserve more flexibility and predictability.
Contact us if you feel that your refund processes deserve more flexibility and predictability.