1. The plane was parked on the apron so far away from the terminal that Haarlem seemed to be closer

This has nothing to do with the handler. The operator of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol decides the stand although the handler may be able to persuade them to change it but diven lack of stands this may not have been possible.


2. Disembarking via stairs, minor nuisance for me but a lady walking with crutches (who counted on a bridge into the terminal) had to be helped down and into the bus by me and another passenger while cabin crew and ground staff were looking bemused but didn't lift a finger

The lady should have requested an ambulift. Staff may have been wary of assisting her on steps due to lack of insurance if she fell. That is, after all, why they have ambulifts - to assist pax that can't manage stairs.


3. Business class packed like sardines into a bus, I'm used to Schiphol buses because I fly a lot of cityhopper but it seems such a stark contrast with the chauffeur driven Mercedes at he start of the journey

IIRC, dNata is handler at AMS. Given EK normally uses an air bridge, they may have a lack of buses suitable for premium cabin pax or it may just have been poor thought put into dealing with where aircraft was parked.

4. Waiting 55 minutes from the plane landing to the first luggage on the belt.

This is way slow for EK standard SLA but given where aircraft was parked perhaps this caused the delay.

Is this common? #2 especially bothered me.[/QUOTE]