I have to add to this, at the risk of being flamed, that you were dealing (at AMS) with a bit of the Dutch national character.

I was once flying from AMS, where I was temporarily quartered, to YUL (destined for northern New England) just after the 1998 NW pilots' strike.

The security interviewer could not understand why, a Yankee as I, was flying to Montreal in order to reach the USA. (I booked on KL to YUL as opposed to NW to BOS due to the strike). She reacted with a stoic yet stiff suspicion.

(I guess those Europeans don't know their geography, huh? )

But asking for hotel receipts? Sheesh. I'll take the comfy chair!