First new security filter operational at AMS
Jul 9, 2018, 11:35 pm
#526
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: AMS/RTM
Posts: 2,826
Jul 10, 2018, 1:38 am
#527
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
Schiphol has deteriorated across the board in recent years. Airport management has focused entirely on increasing the number of flights to the 500,000 limit as fast as possible, even though the airport manifestly cannot cope. It is not only security and parking, but just about everything else.
- pax drop-off and pick-up is a shambles.
- the railroad station lacks capacity, trains can't be relied on to run on schedule, or at all.
- the terminals are jam-packed, there are not enough gates, not enough remote stands, not enough immigrations officers and at times not even enough runways, despite having six.
Etc. Etc.
It's a mess. The Privium lounge is the sole redeeming feature.
Johan
- pax drop-off and pick-up is a shambles.
- the railroad station lacks capacity, trains can't be relied on to run on schedule, or at all.
- the terminals are jam-packed, there are not enough gates, not enough remote stands, not enough immigrations officers and at times not even enough runways, despite having six.
Etc. Etc.
It's a mess. The Privium lounge is the sole redeeming feature.
Johan
Jul 10, 2018, 2:58 am
#528
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: HAG
Programs: Der 5* FTL
Posts: 7,980
I don't know I agree with that.
Lounge wise, a fair enough point, though none of the lounges are Schiphol operated (well, except Privium, which has good catering, and I just wish it was airside)
Walking time is just a question of airport size. I think Schiphol is quite good in comparison with simlarly sized airports like CDG or FRA.
Drop-off and pick-up I never had issues. Though I only very rarely travel by car (taxi) to and from the airport.
Train station IMO is quite adequate, could be better, but then it wouldn't fit in the actual terminal building, which would mean a longer walk etc. I also find NS quite reliable overall, despite how the Dutch love to hate it.
Plus given the airports location within the rail system, it acts as a bona fide rail transport hub, and as a result, has the most frequent connections I've seen at an airport except those connected by actual metro trains. I mean, there like 10+ trains to Centraal every hour, plus frequent connections to Zuid, Sloterdijk...
Overfull terminals, well yes, they are pretty full, at times, still I've seen worse.
Lounge wise, a fair enough point, though none of the lounges are Schiphol operated (well, except Privium, which has good catering, and I just wish it was airside)
Walking time is just a question of airport size. I think Schiphol is quite good in comparison with simlarly sized airports like CDG or FRA.
Drop-off and pick-up I never had issues. Though I only very rarely travel by car (taxi) to and from the airport.
Train station IMO is quite adequate, could be better, but then it wouldn't fit in the actual terminal building, which would mean a longer walk etc. I also find NS quite reliable overall, despite how the Dutch love to hate it.
Plus given the airports location within the rail system, it acts as a bona fide rail transport hub, and as a result, has the most frequent connections I've seen at an airport except those connected by actual metro trains. I mean, there like 10+ trains to Centraal every hour, plus frequent connections to Zuid, Sloterdijk...
Overfull terminals, well yes, they are pretty full, at times, still I've seen worse.
Jul 10, 2018, 5:34 am
#530
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: mostly not far from AMS, otherwise NUE
Programs: FB Silver, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,380
While walks in Schiphol can be quite long, the main benefit is that it's a single terminal airport, so no need to take a bus or train to get to another terminal.
Jul 10, 2018, 6:37 am
#531
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,410
Plus given the airports location within the rail system, it acts as a bona fide rail transport hub, and as a result, has the most frequent connections I've seen at an airport except those connected by actual metro trains. I mean, there like 10+ trains to Centraal every hour, plus frequent connections to Zuid, Sloterdijk...
Jul 10, 2018, 6:58 am
#532
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Amsterdam
Programs: MileagePlus GS
Posts: 361
I agree with Johan and would add a few more comments concerning my experiences with Schiphol:
- The current toilet situation is insufficient. There are simply not enough toilets, and most of the time the toilets are not what I would call "fresh and clean". In addition, in some terminals like C the toilets are all downstairs except the first one with elevator access. This means when traveling alone and you need to use the toilet you have to drag your bags/luggage downstairs and then upstairs to use the facilities.
- Gate and Boarding Space is very limited in many of the terminals. G and D are OK but C is very crowded, not enough seating and lines running along the people movers.
- On at least 50% of my transatlantic flights the gate is occupied upon arrival. The average wait time is around 15 minutes. Schiphol seems incapable of managing in/outgoing traffic as there are always empty gates around the designated gate.
- On my last Singapore Air flight to AMS, we had a remote position with stairs and busses back to the terminal. I expect and tolerate this for CityHopper flights, but not for wide body/longhaul. The Singapore Airline Crew says this happens frequently. I also witnessed a Jet Airways plane disembarking remotely as well.
- Food Selection is poor. Dutch Bread and Fast Food. They have opened a new Asian restaurant between 2 and 3 that at least looks good. The bars have poor wine selections, weak cocktails and often nothing but Heineken.
- Privium Lounge airside is nice. A bit small and crowded at times, but better than the others.
- Aspire Lounge is always packed and dirty. I do not understand why the Jet Airways flights are aloud access when these flights are partnered with KLM. If they are partner flights, let the passengers use the KLM Crown Lounges.
- Security is hit or miss and depends on time of day and day of the week. Secondary checks at security can take a long time and seem to be the standard rather than the exception.
- Pick-Up and Drop-Off is as Johan stated very congested and disorganised. The recent attempts to divert Terminal 1 pick-ups and Drop-Offs from 2 and 3 has resulted in more congestion.
I would rate Schiphol as one of the worst major airports in the world. I do not see it getting any better in the future.
- The current toilet situation is insufficient. There are simply not enough toilets, and most of the time the toilets are not what I would call "fresh and clean". In addition, in some terminals like C the toilets are all downstairs except the first one with elevator access. This means when traveling alone and you need to use the toilet you have to drag your bags/luggage downstairs and then upstairs to use the facilities.
- Gate and Boarding Space is very limited in many of the terminals. G and D are OK but C is very crowded, not enough seating and lines running along the people movers.
- On at least 50% of my transatlantic flights the gate is occupied upon arrival. The average wait time is around 15 minutes. Schiphol seems incapable of managing in/outgoing traffic as there are always empty gates around the designated gate.
- On my last Singapore Air flight to AMS, we had a remote position with stairs and busses back to the terminal. I expect and tolerate this for CityHopper flights, but not for wide body/longhaul. The Singapore Airline Crew says this happens frequently. I also witnessed a Jet Airways plane disembarking remotely as well.
- Food Selection is poor. Dutch Bread and Fast Food. They have opened a new Asian restaurant between 2 and 3 that at least looks good. The bars have poor wine selections, weak cocktails and often nothing but Heineken.
- Privium Lounge airside is nice. A bit small and crowded at times, but better than the others.
- Aspire Lounge is always packed and dirty. I do not understand why the Jet Airways flights are aloud access when these flights are partnered with KLM. If they are partner flights, let the passengers use the KLM Crown Lounges.
- Security is hit or miss and depends on time of day and day of the week. Secondary checks at security can take a long time and seem to be the standard rather than the exception.
- Pick-Up and Drop-Off is as Johan stated very congested and disorganised. The recent attempts to divert Terminal 1 pick-ups and Drop-Offs from 2 and 3 has resulted in more congestion.
I would rate Schiphol as one of the worst major airports in the world. I do not see it getting any better in the future.
Jul 10, 2018, 7:20 am
#533
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
That's one thing I don't mind. Flying means sitting, so I appreciate an opportunity to stretch my legs before and after a flight. I'm a very fast walker, don't mind the distances.
I'm comparing Schiphol to its former self, which is all that matters from my perspective. I couldn't care less if other airports are worse,a s long as I can avoid them. I'm really good at keeping my distance from CDG and FRA.
And I invariably do. I get dropped off and picked up at departures. For an airport of Schiphol's size it is an embarrassment. A single access road that easily gets clogged, and in front of the terminal it is a chaotic mess.
I will concede that NS is not the reason I fled the Netherlands, rail travel is a lot crappier where I live now. Having said that, I wouldn't take a train from Schiphol even if they were 100% reliable, simply because they can't take me where I want to go.
Again, what matters to me is the situation at Schiphol, that it is worse elsewhere is irrelevant to me.
Johan
Jul 10, 2018, 8:19 am
#534
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: HAG
Programs: Der 5* FTL
Posts: 7,980
Also waiting impatiently for the new airside Schengen lounge.
Yet Schiphols former self was a good deal smaller... Personally I think that Schiphol is really doing well for what it is today.
Jul 10, 2018, 8:55 am
#535
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Glaschu
Programs: FB Platinum for Life; BAEC Gold Guest List; Accor Gold.
Posts: 2,549
I agree with Johan, in as much as I think that Schiphol has gone from possibly the best European major hub to one of the low-ranked ones in the last few years. What is the cause? I don't know, but I suspect there's a considerable amount of commercial pressure to (as Johan also points out) fulfil the maximum possible flight take-off/landing slots. Damn shame, IMHO, but I'm just a mere mortal.
Comparing to other Euro hubs: anyone here been to/through Heathrow T5 at a busy time of day recently? The overcrowding is far, far worse than Schiphol's worst nightmare! Hard to find a wee spot in which to pick your nose.
But, money talks! Travellers are, after all, merely a source of revenue!!
-- Henry
Comparing to other Euro hubs: anyone here been to/through Heathrow T5 at a busy time of day recently? The overcrowding is far, far worse than Schiphol's worst nightmare! Hard to find a wee spot in which to pick your nose.
But, money talks! Travellers are, after all, merely a source of revenue!!
-- Henry
Jul 10, 2018, 10:50 am
#536
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
Tell me about it . . . I go back all the way to the Good Old Days of Schiphol Oost, Lockheed Constellations, Vickers Viscounts and Lockheed Electras.
We will just have to agree to disagree here. I do think that Schiphol should have asked itself in good time whether it wanted to be where it is today.
Johan
Johan
Jul 10, 2018, 10:55 am
#537
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,746
Hey, in what other airport can you load up on regular priced food at Hema and Albert Heijn (albeit landside, so can't take drinks through security)?
Jul 10, 2018, 12:13 pm
#538
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: AMS/RTM
Posts: 2,826
