mfkne

That's the result of a major overhaul, especially the introduction of centralised security - a project that will take several years to complete (details here)

irishguy28

Beware of the cheese! It can be very dangerous!!!

Fly Baby

Hilarious! I'd heard he'd "gone missing" - didn't realise it was due to emmental! I'll have to be careful


Thanks mfkne - I guessed it was due to the security work but I was so disappointed to walk through departures and see it boarded up all dark and gloomy. Its the one airport I really enjoy using precisely because it has views of the aircraft and activity outside. Guess I'll get used to it. Hope its worth it.

mfkne

Well, it looks promising.

johan rebel

I flew in to ORD yesterday. The only reason why aircraft door to curbside took me nine minutes was that we arrived at gate M1 at the farthest end of Terminal 5. Nobody in line at 1-Stop Entry, the whole process took less than two minutes.

The time before they suffered a total system failure at 1-Stop just as I got there, so they had to process everyone manually. I was third or fourth in line, and through in under ten minutes.

Johan

johan rebel

Last Tuesday evening F arrivals was closed. Allpax were directed to E, with predictable results. I also noticed that the non-Schengen/Schengen Privium checkpoint was closed, members were directed to a manned KMar checkpoint.

Johan

mfkne

I wonder why they're only announcing it today, given that the filter has been open since April, but Schiphol is bragging how great the new filter is for passengers.

KLflyerRalph

They spray lavender in the air at the checkpoint...

DrLudwig

Today huge crowd. Mixing regular and priority lines again. Took me 20mins to get through.

ok986

On Tuesday, there were only two check-points operational around 4pm at the Schengen side. One was used solely by Privium (and strictly policed), but the other was given used by both priority and general lane. The guy policing the priority lane entrance was telling everyone that "everything is OK", but clearly it wasn't because the queue for the general security lane was all the way to the SkyPriority check-in area.

After 30 minutes, when I got to the security check-point, the guy manning the checkpoint explained that due to design, an fault in one check-point automatically shuts off other check-points too, except for the two left-most (Privium and the one next to it), because they're wired separately. He also said that ever since the new check-points are in use, such failures are happening "almost every day".

mfkne

Postings of pictures of the busy security lane keep appearing on Twitter on a pretty much daily basis, along with complaints by users, including Privium customers. I have no idea what changed at Schiphol, but someone seems to be determined to ruin the previously excellent experience.

johan rebel

I just amused myself for five minutes or so by observing proceedings at the new security filter.

- the non-priority side was packed to capacity.

- checkpoints #4 and 5 were out of order and cordoned off, which didn't exactly help.

- the priority entry was policed by two staff members, the waiting area beyond the entrance was full.

- there was an agent at the head of the line sending priority pax to checkpoints 1,2,3. Nevertheless, the line moved very slowly.

- a pax who used the Privium entry brazenly walked right past the queue and straight up to the agent, loudly braying "Privium! Privium!" He was promptly sent to checkpoint #1, whereupon all the other Privium members who had politely lined up behind the regular priority pax all rushed to the front. They were also sent to #1.

It would therefore seem that the process had been somewhat improved and streamlined, at least at busy times - this was not in evidence when I walked past around 1 p.m. However, it is still not good enough. Privium pax are paying for top priority, and should have their own entrance, waiting area and dedicated checkpoint.

I did not see any regular pax being directed to the priority side, but that could have been because the closed checkpoints resulted in a physical separation across which pax could not be easily drip-fed without posting more agents on both sides.

Edited to add that I had another look when it was a bit quieter. This time, an agent at #3 started waving over regular pax from the other side. Unsurprisingly, all who saw him responded by reenacting the storming of the Bastille, in a very convincing manner. Once the mad rush to the left had started, it only let off when somebody realized that there were vacant tray stations at the regular checkpoints they were charging past. The priority side was thus swamped in no time.

I also discussed the situation with one of the receptionists in the Privium ClubLounge. The brazen Privium member who walked past the priority line just overawed the agent at the head of the queue, and thus unleashed an inadvertent Privium stampede. Checkpoint #1 is not officially for Privium members only, nor are Privium members allowed to skip the priority line. Having seen that it works, that won't stop me from trying, though. I don't like being pushy, but I do not relish stading in line either.

Johan

mfkne

Well, this whole thing is just a liability for frequent travellers - it's impossible to predict how long it'll take you past security even though you're a Privium and/or premium passenger. I'm going out of my way now to use the footbridge.

johan rebel

Which footbridge is only an option if you can park or be dropped off at its entrance, unfortunately.

Johan

mfkne

Depends. I usually arrive at Schiphol either by train or by bus. If I arrive by bus I just go one stop further than Schiphol Plaza (Skyport) and walk about 50 meters from there. If I take the train I will try the regular route, and if I find that it's ridiculously busy I'll just go downstairs again, under Schiphol Plaza via the tunnel and I'll surface in the parking garage. Takes about 3-4 minutes in total and maintains my sanity.