I finally got a reply from KL customer care:

"Helaas heeft KLM geen invloed op het verbeteren van dit proces."

KL has no say? Gimme a break. They are surely paying Schiphol for SkyPriority, so they should be in a position to stipulate what they and their pax get for that money.

I used Fast Track at CPH a few days ago, a service which KL also no doubt pays for. I scanned my boarding card and "bleep" the gate open, as if by magic. Five steps and I was at the dedicated and physically separated checkpoint. Took me a minute to get through. That this should work better that at KL's main hub and home airport is beyond ridiculous.

Johan

Monday I flew Easyjet from the H-pier and sed my Privium to bypass the (rather long) queue at the security filter.

The attendant asked me my destination to ensure I was at the right pier and then let me use the Privium machine to validate my card. Once through, I 'joined' the regular queue at the front, but was promptly invited by the security lady who saw I was using the Privium lane.

All in all I stood in line for about 10 seconds, so that's not bad at all and an example of how Privium should be used when dedicated lines are not an option (I guess it's too expensive to set up a dedicated line, especially at a low-cost pier like the H-pier)...

One thing I do not like are those security scanners; ever since they have been in use there's ALWAYS something showing up that requires a pat down while all my pockets are empty, I removed my belt and watch, etc. :(

Anyway, just wanted to share my latest Privium experience with you guys.

Agreed. Even when wearing nothing but shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, with all pockets empty. I don't even wear a belt or watch.

Johan

Bingo. Besides the unclear long term medical effect on humans of those machines, this is the second reason why I refuse to use them. Utterly pointless and inaccurate. As you get a pad down anyway in 99% of the cases, I rather bypass the whole thing and get the pad down immediately.

Third reason: I will not hold my arms above my head in the surrender position to board an airplane. At gunpoint, yes (well, maybe...). But to board an airplane, never...

Fourth reason: You're paying full airport fees, so you're entitled to get the full massage ;)

Interesting read this thread and a confirmation of what I already feared, Privium is no longer a value-add for me.

I think I've been Privium member since 2009 or so and the sole reason for paying up each year is the dedicated security lane. Close parking is nice but more and more I take the train to Schiphol so this is becoming of little use. The lounge maintains its high level but I hardly use it, personally I prefer to spend 30 minutes longer at home instead of in the lounge. Only in case of unplanned early arrival the lounge has value, but this year that only happened twice. Business class checkin I already get through status with Skyteam and Star Alliance. Arriving non-Schengen and passing the immigration queue does sometimes makes me smile, but most of my travel is Schengen anyway.

So there's only the dedicated security lane. Which is now gone. Same as Johan does, I wait for the membership renewal in a few months to see if things will improve. If not, I'll terminate the Privium membership due to no added value.

The new setup actually also makes the lounge less useful. Previously, I could cut it real fine and leave the lounge at the last minute. Knowing that I would clear security in one minute, I could plan to arrive at the gate just before boarding closed (or just as it started, for very full flights). If I now need to allow an extra 15 minutes just in case, I might as well go straight to CrownLounge instead and spend those 15 minutes there.

Johan

When I went to cancel my card they asked me whether my bank details were still up to date, which they weren't. So I gave them the new details. Since I hadn't received the refund until lately I contacted them and sure enough they transferred the refund to my old closed bank account. And what do Privium do? They tell me to contact my old bank because there's nothing they can do because the funds have been transferred. My old bank says money went back to sender.

Of course all of this is my fault it seems in Privium's eyes. Only confirms my decision.

Guess that means it is a good idea to wait for my membership year to expire, instead of having a refund vanish in Outer Privium Space.

Johan

It would seem more trouble free indeed.

First new security filter operational at AMS
 

Good news: they re-designated a dedicated security check. First of all, there are boarding pass scanners on automated gates next to the privium entrance. They work for Sky Priority and J only. Then someone behind the gates points all Privium and Sky Priority peeps to the designated lane, which has a separator. When I went through with Privium I was the only one in that lane, whilst there were a couple of people in the others. Seems to work!

I had a similar experience a week or so ago. It took me less than ten minutes from the train, drop the bag off, go through security and to sit down with some nibbles in a lounge chair.

Now that's good news indeed!

It took 'm a while, but it would seem that they have come to their senses, most likely after numerous complaints.

Johan

Are you saying that the original situation (physically separate line for Privium, not shared with premium or other pax) was restored? Is that on the left-hand side or the right-hand side of that filter?

On the left-hand side.