First new security filter operational at AMS
 

Today I passed through the new security filter for Schengen departures for the first time which apparently opened last week. It's about 50 meters to the right of the original one which now boarded up.

The new filter looks kind of nice with an emphasis on wood - I suppose they're trying to achieve a homely atmosphere.

Unfortunately they haven't been able to move the Privium readers yet (and that was announced by e-mail beforehand), so Privium cards and boarding passes are manually inspected. After that unfortunately the priority security lane and the Privium lane are not physically separated and so passengers jump from the longer queue at the business lane to the shorter Privium lane. There is a sign "Privium members only" above the lane, but there's no-one there to enforce it.

There's also a staffer there who directed people from the regular (non-priority) lanes to the priority lanes. I take it this is temporary, but take it into account if you depart AMS to a Schengen destination in the near future as it may make your processing time at the security filter a little longer than usual.

That really sucks.

In the old setup, you could take an elevator straight from the Privium ClubLounge up to the Privium lane, without having your card inspected or scanned.

I'm also no fan of directing regular pax to priority lanes. That reeks of LHR T5 "Fast" Track. Just as you approach security, relieved to see that the lines are short, somebody opens a Tensa barrier and lets in 20 pax, including two infants, four small children and several octogenarians about to take their first aeroplane flight ever.

Johan

I saw this last week Saturday already. Yes, I find it way more friendly. But traveling from Oslo, Norway very often I find i found it funny. Most of Oslo airport is built from wood and glass. I felt that Schiphol was copying Oslo in a sense. Haha. Apart from the new atmospheres the machines are the same and there is no other change. I found this rather disappointed. Had hoped for a whole new system of xray machiens etc.

SB

Are you saying they haven't even increased capacity?

Who gives a hoot about wood paneling etc? I want to spend as little time there as possible. They can paint the walls fuchsia pink with pumpkin orange and lawn green polka dots for all care.

Johan

Haha! That was a good one! As far as i can recall nope. Will go through it again tomorrow. But i don't remember see a much bigger area, as a matter of fact even smaller.... But don't forget its under construction, so will or i hope it will be bigger in the end.

SB

The lift was out of order during the construction. Don't know if it is operating again.

My experience last Thursday was that they were way stricter about access to Priority lane. Before, it was no problem to chat up the person at the access point to let one in with a non-Sky Priority person, especially when the priority lane was empty. Not any more.

The whole thing took about 15 minutes - on Thursday at 6pm.

And the security personnel at the belt did not speak a word of English...

Went through last week as well and also received the mail from Privium regarding the temp access.

First off: Please remember this is still under construction so current layout, capacity, etc. is all temporary.

I travelled at Tuesday at 4 PM and there were no real waiting in privium or sky priority lanes.

The security area has been expanded to include a large piece of the old "duty free shop" so I am pretty certain that in the end the filter will be larger and with more capacity than the old one.

I agree to the comment about AMS copying the OSL design, however let's hope they do not copy the inefficiency of the OSL security check!!

Indeed, as Banko says, it is still under construction, and on Sunday it looked far from finished to me. I reckon we'll see quite a few more modifications to the area in the weeks to come. I had the impression that the area is larger with more stations.

I sincerly hope that the lane-jumping issue to the Privium lane is also temporarily, if not, I don't see much reason to keep Privium.

Indeed.

I certainly did not get it, which reminds me that it is been ages since I last received their newletter. Shall have to check with Privium to see if I've somehow dropped off their mailing list.

Johan

E-mail from Privium
 

"Your new entryway

From that date onwards, you will be able to use the Privium entryway on the left side of the security filter as before. Also note that an additional Privium entryway will be available on the right side of the security filter from 23 June. The familiar Privium gates will lead you to the new priority waiting area. From there you reach the renovated security lanes, which will gradually replace the old lanes (at the bottom of this email you will find an impression). The entire new security filter in Departure Hall 1 will be completed by mid-September 2014.

Flexible security lanes

The new security lanes have a flexible configuration. As a result there is no longer a designated security lane for Privium members. Nevertheless you will always have priority over regular passengers. The available number of security lanes for Privium members will always reflect actual requirements."

I sure hope they know what they are doing. It will be absolutely essential for them to ensure that we "will always have priority over regular passengers". The advantage of the old setup was exactly that Privium had a dedicated lane. Not only a great time saver, but you were treated a lot better too.

Johan

You little spoiled person xD! I am just happy I get a priority lane

SB

My thoughts exactly when I received that e-mail today.

And me.

If it means that you are channelled to the front of the line with everyone else behind you it could work.

But if you are channeled to the front of the line and you have a herd of inexperienced travellers cluttering at the belt whilst hassling and going through the hoops... :rolleyes:

Let's wait and see...

The e-mail also mentions that the elevator that takes you directly from the Privium ClubLounge to the Privium security checkpoint will be out of service for over a year. The elevator offered the added advantages of allowing you to bypass the iris scanner, and taking you straight to the head of the queue.

A system that allows non-elligible pax to barge/sneak into priority lines is bad enough, but I also dislike the setup where agents funnel regular pax into the priorty line whenever it doesn't look busy. That happens at e.g. CPH and LHR T5, but at AMS I'm actually paying for Privium, so I expect better and faster service that what's offered to those using the J Class / Elite lines. Every time, without fail.

Johan