I also fly a great deal ex GLA; either to AMS itself or via AMS to elsewhere. My experiences are similar to those described here: the baggage handlers (on the return to GLA) seem to add the word "LOW" to any baggage with a "PRIORITY" tag ... on several occasions, my bag has been very nearly the last on on the belt; and the ServisAir check-in monsters have never given my the priority tag (but, I have my super-cool Platinum tag on the case, and sometimes this works at AMS).

On one occasion, I was travelling with a group and one of the pax names was very slightly misspelt; I had phoned KLM customer services about this and, as it was an intra-european flight, the guy said it wouldn't be a problem and he would 'flag' the locator so that check-in would be smooth ... it wasn't! The she-devil that checked us in (I pointed out to her that my companion's name was slightly wrong) kept us waiting for nearly 30 mins while she phoned the KLM booth (also at GLA), then kept asking my friend if his name really was what his passport said it was, and whether or not that was his name on his birth certificate (???!!!); I felt like going over to the KLM booth and growling, but I managed to keep cool for the sake of my travelling companions. After all this, she gleefully pointed out to us that, had we been travelling with a charter flight, they would have charged us £30 for the name change (bloody cheek)! Incidentally, on the return flight, where there was a genuine AFKL check-in, we didn't get even a raised eyebrow about the name error, and all 6 of us (I am the only elite) got priority check-in and tags.

However, on the op-up issue, I must disagree: since I made Gold and then Plat, I have been called by name at the gate on a number of occasions for upgrades to ES ... but the staff do sometimes seem to give the upgrade rather grudgingly: almost as though they resent the fact that the computer has told them who to upgrade, and they can't choose those pax they 'like the look of'.

All-in-all, I think KL would be well advised to get their own staff back at GLA.

--Henry