Connecting from USA to PRG in AMS / Amsterdam with bags
Feb 28, 2015, 12:28 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 44
Connecting from USA to PRG in AMS / Amsterdam with bags
Has anyone connected at Schiphol with bags? I'm flying US from PHL into AMS but would like to connect onto Prague. Since its not OW I understand US won't check my bags through. So after I pick up my bags will I have to go through passport control, leave the secure side, then check my bags in again, and go through security? Or will there be a transfer desk inside security where I can re-check bags? How much time should I budget?
Feb 28, 2015, 4:22 pm
#2
Moderator: American AAdvantage
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As these are generally destination questions, we've moved your query to the proper forum.
JDiver, Senior Moderator
According to other threads, the longest bit will be reclaiming your bags at the carousel.
To see these threads, use Advanced Search.
Search thread titles only, results as threads, keyword "ams" exactly as given; the quotation marks are necessary when searching with very common terms or those with three or fewer characters. Search does not recognize case.
JDiver, Senior Moderator
According to other threads, the longest bit will be reclaiming your bags at the carousel.
To see these threads, use Advanced Search.
Search thread titles only, results as threads, keyword "ams" exactly as given; the quotation marks are necessary when searching with very common terms or those with three or fewer characters. Search does not recognize case.
Mar 1, 2015, 1:58 am
#3
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Has anyone connected at Schiphol with bags? I'm flying US from PHL into AMS but would like to connect onto Prague. Since its not OW I understand US won't check my bags through. So after I pick up my bags will I have to go through passport control, leave the secure side, then check my bags in again, and go through security? Or will there be a transfer desk inside security where I can re-check bags? How much time should I budget?
Mar 1, 2015, 2:18 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 399
Are you travelling on one through ticket or two?
If it is a through ticket connecting from US to a legacy airline such as KLM or CSA your bags should be checked through with no need to reclaim - passport control is inevitable as this is your entry point to the Schengen Area. Security I'm not sure about as Amsterdam Schipol has changed some of the ways it manages security since I last connected there.
If you're on two separate tickets you will indeed have to go through the entire arrivals process and start again in the check-in hall. Once you've got access to your checked bags you're no longer security-cleared for one thing!
Edited to add: of course US and KL have an interline agreement, otherwise they couldn't ticket through from one airline to the other at any time, or transfer passengers at times of irregular operations. This only means that they can transfer bags, and they will if passengers are through ticketed. It doesn't mean that airline policy allows them to do it if passengers have separate tickets for each segment (unless both airlines are in OneWorld)
Of the three airlines that fly non-stop from AMS to PRG, it's worth asking though if the onwards flight is on KLM or CSA. Don't waste your breath if it is EasyJet though, they don't have interline agreements.
If it is a through ticket connecting from US to a legacy airline such as KLM or CSA your bags should be checked through with no need to reclaim - passport control is inevitable as this is your entry point to the Schengen Area. Security I'm not sure about as Amsterdam Schipol has changed some of the ways it manages security since I last connected there.
If you're on two separate tickets you will indeed have to go through the entire arrivals process and start again in the check-in hall. Once you've got access to your checked bags you're no longer security-cleared for one thing!
Edited to add: of course US and KL have an interline agreement, otherwise they couldn't ticket through from one airline to the other at any time, or transfer passengers at times of irregular operations. This only means that they can transfer bags, and they will if passengers are through ticketed. It doesn't mean that airline policy allows them to do it if passengers have separate tickets for each segment (unless both airlines are in OneWorld)
Of the three airlines that fly non-stop from AMS to PRG, it's worth asking though if the onwards flight is on KLM or CSA. Don't waste your breath if it is EasyJet though, they don't have interline agreements.
Last edited by Andy33; Mar 1, 2015 at 2:27 am
Mar 1, 2015, 2:48 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 44
Are you travelling on one through ticket or two?
If it is a through ticket connecting from US to a legacy airline such as KLM or CSA your bags should be checked through with no need to reclaim - passport control is inevitable as this is your entry point to the Schengen Area. Security I'm not sure about as Amsterdam Schipol has changed some of the ways it manages security since I last connected there.
If you're on two separate tickets you will indeed have to go through the entire arrivals process and start again in the check-in hall. Once you've got access to your checked bags you're no longer security-cleared for one thing!
Edited to add: of course US and KL have an interline agreement, otherwise they couldn't ticket through from one airline to the other at any time, or transfer passengers at times of irregular operations. This only means that they can transfer bags, and they will if passengers are through ticketed. It doesn't mean that airline policy allows them to do it if passengers have separate tickets for each segment (unless both airlines are in OneWorld)
Of the three airlines that fly non-stop from AMS to PRG, it's worth asking though if the onwards flight is on KLM or CSA. Don't waste your breath if it is EasyJet though, they don't have interline agreements.
If it is a through ticket connecting from US to a legacy airline such as KLM or CSA your bags should be checked through with no need to reclaim - passport control is inevitable as this is your entry point to the Schengen Area. Security I'm not sure about as Amsterdam Schipol has changed some of the ways it manages security since I last connected there.
If you're on two separate tickets you will indeed have to go through the entire arrivals process and start again in the check-in hall. Once you've got access to your checked bags you're no longer security-cleared for one thing!
Edited to add: of course US and KL have an interline agreement, otherwise they couldn't ticket through from one airline to the other at any time, or transfer passengers at times of irregular operations. This only means that they can transfer bags, and they will if passengers are through ticketed. It doesn't mean that airline policy allows them to do it if passengers have separate tickets for each segment (unless both airlines are in OneWorld)
Of the three airlines that fly non-stop from AMS to PRG, it's worth asking though if the onwards flight is on KLM or CSA. Don't waste your breath if it is EasyJet though, they don't have interline agreements.
Mar 1, 2015, 2:59 pm
#6
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I've never flown Easyjet, but for normal airlines 2 hours would be enough time. You might want to try to cut in line once you arrive at check in.
Mar 1, 2015, 9:59 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
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LCCs such as EasyJet are very strict with their latest CI time; one minute late and you may have to say goodbye to your ticket. Two hours at AMS are usually OK, but your TATL flight might be late, even a little, and then you're screwed. If I were you, I'd book a later connection, just to be safe.
Mar 1, 2015, 10:16 pm
#8
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For separate tickets, you need to allow lots and lots of extra time for the risk that your inbound flight to AMS will be late. If you miss the checkin deadline, even through no fault of your own, you will be required to buy a more expensive ticket. You also must pay to check bags twice with this scheme. In the return direction, the loss of your TATL return segment would be more serious as you would not only lose the ticket value but probably be required to buy a very expensive one way TATL ticket for a flight the next day, plus may for your hotel and meals during this unplanned stopover.
The bottom line is that there's a much bigger risk if you do this with a LCC rather than with carriers that interline, ideally on one ticket.
The bottom line is that there's a much bigger risk if you do this with a LCC rather than with carriers that interline, ideally on one ticket.
Mar 2, 2015, 2:40 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: AMS
Programs: TK*G, KL, AB
Posts: 143
Agree with the above, 2 hours is really cutting it close. From the time you land at AMS, it will take at least 40 minutes to get to the easyjet check-in desk. It could be more, depending on how long you wait at immigration and how long your bags take to arrive. You then have to make your way over to Departures 3, which is a bit of a walk. I believe the easyjet bag drop desks close 40 minutes before scheduled departure of your flight.
Mar 2, 2015, 5:38 am
#10
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 344
Agree with the above, 2 hours is really cutting it close. From the time you land at AMS, it will take at least 40 minutes to get to the easyjet check-in desk. It could be more, depending on how long you wait at immigration and how long your bags take to arrive. You then have to make your way over to Departures 3, which is a bit of a walk. I believe the easyjet bag drop desks close 40 minutes before scheduled departure of your flight.