Originally Posted by
mlin32
I'm surprised that given the troubles at AMS since spring, people haven't already tried to avoid AMS anyway. I personally don't foresee myself going thru AMS until further notice. And remember, it only takes a couple snowflakes to completely ruin operations at AMS (the poor bloke previously switching between handling bagages and operating the deicing machine might have quit over the summer
)
At least the main important hubs on the East Coast seem unaffected for now (ATL, JFK). There's always AF or DL for TATL travel.
US-AMS-____ routes are a reliable way to avoid having to deal with transit security re-screening in Europe while still availing to a very good route network and back-up options for travel at the transited European airport. And even when the onward flight destination from AMS is a Schengen destination, the entry passport control situation when transiting AMS this year is not so far removed from what had hit me at AMS on transits in 2019 and some earlier years.
I have found it sort of amusing to be asked by long time NW/DL-KL flyers to route via CDG with AF this year even after turning around and saying I prefer going via AMS when sticking to SkyTeam on US-Europe-___ itineraries. Usually the next chapter begins sort of like it ends: “don’t route via CDG next time”, or “add a lot more transit time at CDG next time”.
Long-term preferences for AMS/KL have evaporated in parts and been replaced by a sort of “still won’t do it” attitude when it comes to using AMS/KL even for transits. Will shifting these US departure times out help bring such customers back to KL/AMS sooner than later? Either way, the damage to KLM and AMS’ reputations will have been done. Not sure it will matter longer term. Common carrier air travel is sort of like a “pick your poison” situation, and yet we continue to fly.