Xandrios

Hi guys,

I'm considering getting a number of RT's with airlines not in Skyteam, in other words, where I don't have status. These are all early flights (6:45 to 7:15 AM) from AMS and I am only able to get to the airport around 5:30 the earliest. (First train in from Lelylaan). So basically I have only about an hour from arrival at Schiphol trainstation until departure. Normally that is no problem, but during peak days it will be.

Last year there have been some huge lines at T1/T2, even for KL elite+ members security took ages. Obviously that is gonna be a problem if I have an hour only. So I was considering Privium basic membership to get around this problem.

Question is...is it a reasonable expectation that with Privium it will be possible to enter T1/T2 in less than 15 minutes, while normal security lines are around the block? What are your experiences during these exceptionally busy days during summer season?

Thanks!

mfkne

I've never had more than 1 or 2 people in front of me at Privium security and only once 1 person in front at the Privium gate at passport control. So I'd say it's possible.

Xandrios

Was that also in case T1/T2 direct access has been closed, and only reachable through looong lines from T3?

ajs123

How many early morning flights do you expect to fly? If three or less, then taking the cab might be cheaper. The Basic Privium costs 119 euro, so that's three cab rides to Schiphol from Lelylaan station early in the morning to beat the rush hour crowds at security control.
If you use your KL Amex card, then you get miles from the cab rides. Can you pay the Privium membership with Amex?

But for such inhumane early departures a cab and Privium might be the best

mfkne

You may also want to consider geting a Privum Plus membership so that you can go through border control in the lounge (which opens at 6:00) if the regular Privium queues should be too long. Note though that the border control checkpoint in the lounge gets you to the non-Schengen area. So if you're flying non-Schengen you can still use it but have to go through Privium border control again plus security (with a dedicated Privium lane).

Aviatrix

You definitely don't want to do that if you're in a hurry.

There is no guarantee that there will be a dedicated Privium lane for non-Schengen to Schengen security.

Quite often the security lane is shared with the Elite lane and/or the short connections lane.... and I've even seen Privium members filtered back into a general security lane, with a long queue.

I've had some pretty long waits on occasions...

Aviatrix

Yes

mfkne

Interesting. I had contacted Privium about this in the past and they said this is not supposed to happen.

Did you try to cut to the front of the line showing your Privium card?

bankops

I have never had more thanone person in front of me on the Shengen/Non-Schengen and the same for the reverse. I have never seen the lines combined either.

That said, I have seen the Schengen check-in entrance with a massive snake, and all of it being privium. Schocked all of the people who thought it was just Elites. The first 30 people in the snake flashing Privium cards was a real eye-opener.

johan rebel

So have I, and they said the same thing. Yet it does happen. Security obviously couldn't care less about Privium, as the same problem exists at the new D concourse checkpoint.

There is actually a sign above the left-hand checkpoint saying you can do just that, yet a security agent at that very lane told me he knew nothing whatsoever about priority for Privium members.

Privium and security really need to get their act together here!


Really? In Holland with its high-density, high-frequency rail network?

Even in my rural corner of Sweden I can get a train to CPH that leaves an hour earlier than that.

Johan

mfkne

Yup, Lelylaan is not covered by the Nachtnet (as is most of NL, obviously).

COFF-Platinum

First train amsterdam lelylaan - schiphol is scheduled for 5:13, 5:20 arrival at Schiphol. Earlier arrivals require the use of the nightbus

Xandrios

Thanks for the many replies guys! Much appreciated.

Basically the outcome is that Privium might help, but does not guarantee anything during these exceptionally crowded moments.

That is actually not a bad idea at all. It will be around three departures so roughly the same price as Privium. The advantage of Privium is of course an extra hour of sleep..which is welcomed as I will be travelling those days until late at night.

That is what I am a bit scared of. These flights are the first weeks of summer holiday season (July/August), so right in that hot spot of all the seasonal early Transavia flights departing.

I have to admit that from any rural corner in Holland its possible to get a train to AMS from 5AM...though stupidly enough the same applies to the Amsterdam suburbs.

johan rebel

I went through late this morning.

I was the only Privium member, but the lines at all the regular, J/Elite and short connection immigrations checkpoints were pretty long. From there several lines snaked their way to the two security checkpoints on the left, blocking access for Privium pax. I do not like cutting in line, I find it embarrassing and impolite, but nevetheless decided to do so on this occassion. There is, after all, a sign saying that Privium members have priority, although it is so small and hangs so high up that not many people are likely to see it. That includes the security staff.

As luck would have it, the person I cut in front of was a gentleman from South America, who only spoke Spanish and had obviously never heard of Privium, so his not unreasonable response was to start shoving. I still managed to get my stuff on the belt, only to be stopped after having gone through the metal detector arch and told to go back and put my shoes on the belt. The is a first time for everything, I guess. Having complied, I went through the arch again, only to be selected for a random patdown. The agent manning the detector told me to stop and remain where I was, thus blocking everybody behind me.

There was a lady ahead of me waiting to be patted down, but the agent in charge was a male, so they were waiting for somebody to find a female agent somewhere. You would think that he would take the opportunity to pat me down in the meantime, but no, his job was apparently to closely watch the female pax until his colleague arrived. You never know what these rascally passengers might be up to, after all.

While we all waited, the whole checkpoint came to a complete halt, except for the scanner which kept on spitting out bags, including mine, from which I had forgotten to remove my liquids. Nobody noticed.

So much for the Privium experience!

Johan

mfkne

Please be sure to report this to Privium. They need to fix this, otherwise this really devalues their product.