Travel Troubleshooter: KLM owes money for a refundable flight. So, where’s the refund?

DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: I am writing because I hope that someone at KLM will help me with a refund for a “flex” flight I purchased this summer. This email comes from a place of desperation, as I’ve had a terrible time trying to contact KLM and getting any information regarding my refund.

Last year, I booked three round-trip, “flex” refundable tickets from Washington, D.C., to Amsterdam on KLM.com. I paid $4,907 for the tickets. In April...