Mess in AMS today - up to March 2022
Aug 20, 2019, 3:01 am
#526
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Montreux CH
Programs: FB Platinum, M&M FTL, BA Blue
Posts: 11,624
I had a totally smooth trip through AMS yesterday, no issues whatsoever except the airport was very busy. Was expecting the worst.
Oh yes, there was one thing. Who are those miserable specimens acting like rental security guards around passport control? Presumably employees of Schiphol, whatever they are. But they think they are something very big and greatly over estimate their own self importance. I got into a bit of an argument with one over his rude, shouting nature and he threatened to call the police on me. It already is quite stressful going through a big airport full of people and being shouted at (to move on after passport control) was a bit like an agression.
For me this behaviour is in stark contrast to the pleasant KLM people in the airport and in the lounges, the restaurant and shop workers, cleaning people, gate agents, etc, and the lovely Dutch people themselves (IME).
Oh yes, there was one thing. Who are those miserable specimens acting like rental security guards around passport control? Presumably employees of Schiphol, whatever they are. But they think they are something very big and greatly over estimate their own self importance. I got into a bit of an argument with one over his rude, shouting nature and he threatened to call the police on me. It already is quite stressful going through a big airport full of people and being shouted at (to move on after passport control) was a bit like an agression.
For me this behaviour is in stark contrast to the pleasant KLM people in the airport and in the lounges, the restaurant and shop workers, cleaning people, gate agents, etc, and the lovely Dutch people themselves (IME).
Aug 20, 2019, 3:14 am
#527
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: mostly not far from AMS, otherwise NUE
Programs: FB Silver, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,381
Well you know what they say about giving people a uniform...
Aug 20, 2019, 5:05 am
#528
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Zanzibar
Programs: Flying Blue
Posts: 1,319
I had a totally smooth trip through AMS yesterday, no issues whatsoever except the airport was very busy. Was expecting the worst.
Oh yes, there was one thing. Who are those miserable specimens acting like rental security guards around passport control? Presumably employees of Schiphol, whatever they are. But they think they are something very big and greatly over estimate their own self importance. I got into a bit of an argument with one over his rude, shouting nature and he threatened to call the police on me. It already is quite stressful going through a big airport full of people and being shouted at (to move on after passport control) was a bit like an agression.
For me this behaviour is in stark contrast to the pleasant KLM people in the airport and in the lounges, the restaurant and shop workers, cleaning people, gate agents, etc, and the lovely Dutch people themselves (IME).
Oh yes, there was one thing. Who are those miserable specimens acting like rental security guards around passport control? Presumably employees of Schiphol, whatever they are. But they think they are something very big and greatly over estimate their own self importance. I got into a bit of an argument with one over his rude, shouting nature and he threatened to call the police on me. It already is quite stressful going through a big airport full of people and being shouted at (to move on after passport control) was a bit like an agression.
For me this behaviour is in stark contrast to the pleasant KLM people in the airport and in the lounges, the restaurant and shop workers, cleaning people, gate agents, etc, and the lovely Dutch people themselves (IME).
Aug 20, 2019, 5:35 am
#529
Join Date: Jul 2019
Programs: FB Platinum / Privium+ / Hilton Gold
Posts: 36
KLM staff @ Schiphol +++ for their attitude and friendliness.
what I HATE about schiphol is the attitude of those power trippers that failed to be a police officer and decided to do security @ schiphol.
how they scream and yell to privium pax like they never fly..... always tell them my DSLR lenses go to secondary so I take them out of my bag.
they get angry about it for being the smart ....
I heard so many horror stories about the TSA in USA but on my last > 30 occasions I had to deal with them.. zero unpleasant interactions.
but schiphol...... anytime I go to security on my return leg in 99% of the occasions just a normal encounter (how it should be!!!).
what I HATE about schiphol is the attitude of those power trippers that failed to be a police officer and decided to do security @ schiphol.
how they scream and yell to privium pax like they never fly..... always tell them my DSLR lenses go to secondary so I take them out of my bag.
they get angry about it for being the smart ....
I heard so many horror stories about the TSA in USA but on my last > 30 occasions I had to deal with them.. zero unpleasant interactions.
but schiphol...... anytime I go to security on my return leg in 99% of the occasions just a normal encounter (how it should be!!!).
Aug 20, 2019, 8:03 am
#530
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Montreux CH
Programs: FB Platinum, M&M FTL, BA Blue
Posts: 11,624
I didn't mean to derail the thread, should maybe have started a new one dedicated to this. But somehow I feel it is tangentially related to the "mess" in Amsterdam, given these people are a "mess" that the world would not miss. The KLM lounge lady at the entrance to the lounge told me that they are employed by Schiphol airport, are constantly on a power trip, so just stay cool and ignore them. Good advice. Don't like being shouted at, though.
On a previous trip, to Birmingham in June I think, I saw them being verbally abusive of a passenger with limited English, really saying stupid and unacceptable things. I wanted to intervene, but it does not pay to interfere in other people's problems. I would like something to be done about this, though.
On a previous trip, to Birmingham in June I think, I saw them being verbally abusive of a passenger with limited English, really saying stupid and unacceptable things. I wanted to intervene, but it does not pay to interfere in other people's problems. I would like something to be done about this, though.
Aug 20, 2019, 9:20 am
#531
Join Date: Jul 2019
Programs: FB Platinum / Privium+ / Hilton Gold
Posts: 36
https://www.schiphol.nl/en/contact/information/
from the site
so to make a complaint about the powertrippers use this link:
https://english.defensie.nl/topics/c...ks-at-airports
from the site
Concerns with security staff
Questions or concerns about any mistreatment by the security guards at Schiphol must be addressed to the Ministry of Defence. Follow the link to file an online report. The Secretary of Defence supervises all security staff, so Schiphol is not able to handle queries of this nature.so to make a complaint about the powertrippers use this link:
https://english.defensie.nl/topics/c...ks-at-airports
Aug 20, 2019, 10:20 am
#532
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Montreux CH
Programs: FB Platinum, M&M FTL, BA Blue
Posts: 11,624
The ministry of defence? That sounds ominous. Don't really want to get involved with that bunch of ghosts and spooks. You sure that's not the people who do the security screening, rather than the plonkers marshalling people at passport control?
Aug 20, 2019, 12:15 pm
#533
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
A uniform?
Back in the days, generalissimos at least wore fancy, if not fantastical, uniforms with all the bells, whistles, fourragères and a chest full of medals.
Nowadays, a high vis vest is all the average troglodyte needs to claim and rule his own 5 square meter empire. Woe betide those who do not obey his every command.
Johan
Back in the days, generalissimos at least wore fancy, if not fantastical, uniforms with all the bells, whistles, fourragères and a chest full of medals.
Nowadays, a high vis vest is all the average troglodyte needs to claim and rule his own 5 square meter empire. Woe betide those who do not obey his every command.
Johan
Aug 21, 2019, 6:54 am
#535
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 4,287
Cheers!
Aug 21, 2019, 8:42 am
#536
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: AMS
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum, TK Star Alliance Gold
Posts: 172
Just to get something out of the way:
The security staff work for their own company, but are the responsibility of the Royal Marechaussee, hence The Ministry of Defense. They are ofcourse the people working the MMW- and X-ray scanners... The guys walking around in high vis vests are hired by Securitas to check for “security threats” all over the terminal. Once again, a security company under the wing of the MOD.
The people in uniforms hanging around passport control sound like Schiphol employees trying to get people in the right line and/or away from througfares. In my experience, those are the worst and most of the time don’t even have correct information.
Unfortunately, whatever uniform someone is wearing there are always those who get a power trip from it...
The security staff work for their own company, but are the responsibility of the Royal Marechaussee, hence The Ministry of Defense. They are ofcourse the people working the MMW- and X-ray scanners... The guys walking around in high vis vests are hired by Securitas to check for “security threats” all over the terminal. Once again, a security company under the wing of the MOD.
The people in uniforms hanging around passport control sound like Schiphol employees trying to get people in the right line and/or away from througfares. In my experience, those are the worst and most of the time don’t even have correct information.
Unfortunately, whatever uniform someone is wearing there are always those who get a power trip from it...
Aug 21, 2019, 11:46 am
#537
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum, JetBlue Mosaic, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska MVP Gold.
Posts: 1,962
Can someone explain to me why there has to be a structure of three/four different private companies handling this rather than Schiphol / KMar / MOD organizing a proper security force with public accountability like the USA's TSA? Ridiculous.
Aug 21, 2019, 11:54 am
#538
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: FB, M&B, UA, AA
Posts: 2,489
No, other than the Dutch habit to think outsourcing is cheaper as doing it yourself and then feeling obliged to have different tenders for each departure area ;-)
Aug 21, 2019, 11:29 pm
#539
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 4,287
But indeed, there are just too many different people allocated at differnt points and as many have mentioned, when given the chance, they just go on a power trip and their assumption is EVERYONE is illicit and have no idea where or what they are doing, so they need to determine it. But as indicated by so many, a lot of them are just temps/summer jobs type that don't really know but act as if they know....
and start abusing their little power to treaten and belittle pax who ignore their instructions....The other country where I find this same (or worst) behaviour is ALL major airports in the UK (except security at the LHR BA First check-in area) - especially with their 'special' ziplock bags that you MUST use and anything else is inferior or wrong...
Cheers!
Aug 22, 2019, 2:08 am
#540
Join Date: Jul 2019
Programs: FB Platinum / Privium+ / Hilton Gold
Posts: 36
I fully agree with @nldogbert,
recently flew to almost all major capitals in the EU, I would say the ones in LIN/ARN/HEL/CPH/CDG (2F/2G)/PRG were very friendly in the separate priority lanes.
but on 80% of those trips outbound from Amsterdam is just miserable.
I was directed to a shorter security line in BHX on several occasions and have mixed feelings about security attitude.
bring back the days of the PHYSICAL SEPARATE queue for privium members
recently flew to almost all major capitals in the EU, I would say the ones in LIN/ARN/HEL/CPH/CDG (2F/2G)/PRG were very friendly in the separate priority lanes.
but on 80% of those trips outbound from Amsterdam is just miserable.
I was directed to a shorter security line in BHX on several occasions and have mixed feelings about security attitude.
bring back the days of the PHYSICAL SEPARATE queue for privium members