Originally Posted by
cptlflyer
I do remember sometime around 2009-2010 seeing little stickers added to the signs for the non-Schengen A gates (now Z11-25) that said "US Flug" with an American Flag above it. But, when I returned in 2011, it appeared most (if not all) of those stuck-on signage modifications were gone.
I don't remember any American flags but those "USA Flights" signs were definitely there. Here is a photo taken in October 2009.
Since most of my connections used to be from B to B, I arranged a longer layover than necessary in 2009 so I could visit the Tower Lounge. I had to persuade security personnel at Pier A Skyline train exit to let me through to go to the Tower Lounge but when I got there I was told the lounge would close at 6:30pm. I was kicked out soon after 6:00pm by lounge staff who threatened me that I might be trapped in Pier A if I didn't go through passport control to the SEN Lounge downstairs.
So, question: my next transit through will be DTW-FRA-IST (LH to TK). Hypothetically, if my DTW flight were to arrive in Z and I were to use the SkyTrain to connect over to B, would I avoid security entirely? I recall that there is a mandatory security check when you exit the SkyTrain in Z, but I've only taken it from B -> Z (or from B -> T2), so I never noticed if security is required for transit passengers in the secured car of the SkyTrain bound for B International departures from Z "clean NS" arrivals. (hch's post referenced many times in this thread is a bit unclear to me specific to A International -> B International transit via SkyTrain... relative to other posts I have seen since.)
I haven't travelled from A/Z to B/C on the Skyline train for a long time but even though there may not be any security check when you get off the train you will have to go through security to enter the departure area of Pier B.
The only way I can think of to avoid security is to go through passport control twice! If you can go through passport control to Schengen Pier A, walk through the tunnel of horror and go through passport control at the end of the tunnel into B departure!