Question to AMS experts
I am not very familiar with AMS Airport and actually I haven't departed from there in more than 15 years, all other times were transfers.
Thus: I am flying to London LHR in the early afternoon on KLM, Business Class, only hand luggage, I already have my boarding pass, I am FB Platinum. Only thing I have to do at airport is to go to plane, no check-in, no lounge. What is the latest time a taxi should drop me at the entrance of the airport for me to reach my flight? I am a fast walker. 30 minutes before departure? That would seem like enough time to go through immigration and security and reach my gate, no? I don't mind arriving 15 minutes before departure and being the last one boarding. Are there many pax at immigration and security at that time of day? Are the priority lines efficient? Thanks |
30 minutes is tight. You will have to go through passport control in hall 2, security check is at the gate, almost always D pier for LHR.
The queues for passport control could be short or long, they are difficult to predict. I'd say 45 minutes would be enough in any case. However, if you are taking a taxi, it will be as difficult to predict traffic... |
So I arrived 45 minutes before departure, which was plenty. I even had time for a full sit-down lunch at the Brasserie before going to my flight which I reached without any stress.
This confirmed again what a very nice and efficient airport AMS is. I am not particularly fond of the "security at gate" situation because it makes SkyPriority a little difficult to happen. The signs say "if you are SkyPriority just jump the queue". Sure, one could, but nasty looks and all the explaining to other passengers is awkward. Other than that really nice. Now en route to LHR, where I expect my T4-T3 transfer to be the exact opposite. |
Originally Posted by San Gottardo
(Post 18469979)
I am not particularly fond of the "security at gate" situation because it makes SkyPriority a little difficult to happen. The signs say "if you are SkyPriority just jump the queue". Sure, one could, but nasty looks and all the explaining to other passengers is awkward.e.
The D-gates are being renovated, the upgraded ones have the same type of physical barriers as the longhaul gates to funnel priority pax directly to the entry point. Johan |
Originally Posted by San Gottardo
(Post 18469979)
So I arrived 45 minutes before departure, which was plenty. I even had time for a full sit-down lunch at the Brasserie before going to my flight which I reached without any stress.
This confirmed again what a very nice and efficient airport AMS is. I am not particularly fond of the "security at gate" situation because it makes SkyPriority a little difficult to happen. The signs say "if you are SkyPriority just jump the queue". Sure, one could, but nasty looks and all the explaining to other passengers is awkward. Other than that really nice. Now en route to LHR, where I expect my T4-T3 transfer to be the exact opposite. Once it got crowded in the waiting area, one of the GAs while working her way to open the door to the jet brdidge was saying "skypriority first, skypriority first" only to let everyone on board without actually enforcing it... |
Originally Posted by ajs123
(Post 18478134)
one of the GAs while working her way to open the door to the jet brdidge was saying "skypriority first, skypriority first" only to let everyone on board without actually enforcing it...
It will take a very major effort on KL's part to change these ingrained attitudes. Johan |
Originally Posted by johan rebel
(Post 18479470)
:D KL boarding procedures in a nutshell. Couldn't be more typical.
It will take a very major effort on KL's part to change these ingrained attitudes. Johan |
Originally Posted by COFF-Platinum
(Post 18479965)
This is the Dutch culture. If you cannot deal with it, fly Lufthansa.
And while I have been in these situations at AMS as well, in the past 6 months or so things have improved a lot. Flights from the C gates are no issue anyway (Separate Elite line, no holding pen) and for most flights out of the D pier, with holding pen, the BP was screened for Priority while opening the gate doors. Maybe I have been lucky but priority boarding seems to work better these days, at least for me it does. |
Originally Posted by COFF-Platinum
(Post 18479965)
This is the Dutch culture. If you cannot deal with it, fly Lufthansa.
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Also my first time flying through Amsterdam. Rome to Amsterdam to DFW. How much of a cushion do I need in Amsterdam to make the connection? If I have a US passport, do I have to through passport control in Amsterdam?
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Yes, you will have to go through passport control in Amsterdam. Depending on how much traffic there is and whether your flights is on time, anything between 45 minutes and 1 hour *should* do. If you have more, then there's plenty of things to do at AMS.
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Originally Posted by mfkne
(Post 18553543)
Yes, you will have to go through passport control in Amsterdam. Depending on how much traffic there is and whether your flights is on time, anything between 45 minutes and 1 hour *should* do. If you have more, then there's plenty of things to do at AMS.
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AMS passport control can have long lines at peak times, including the summer. As a USA citizen you must use the all passports lines which can be very slow. Sometimes the questioning of one person can take a while.
I think even one hour is tight. |
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
(Post 18572867)
AMS passport control can have long lines at peak times, including the summer. As a USA citizen you must use the all passports lines which can be very slow. Sometimes the questioning of one person can take a while.
I think even one hour is tight. |
I think 45 min with out-EU passport is abundant time. No problem at all. Try to go to passport control in front of D asap. If situation is as it should be you 'll have time for doing anything you want after that. Good trip.
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