Automatic passport control gates at AMS
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: MME (midway between NCL and LBA)
Programs: BA Gold, AF/KL Gold, Hilton Gold, Nordic Choice Gold
Posts: 742
Automatic passport control gates at AMS
Horrendous queues this morning at the non-Schengen>Schengen passport control. The EU queue must have had 500 people in it waiting use the automatic gates.
Each gate takes 25 seconds on average (I was bored) between passengers. Only 5/6 gates were working so an average of 5 seconds per person. 500 people in the queue equates to a 41 minute wait on average.
I don't want to sound like a technophobe but this is not really progress in my eyes as the Marechaussee don't take anything like 25 seconds to check a passport.
No policing of queue jumpers either by Schiphol staff which made things worse.
For non-EU passport holders it was even worse. A similar queue length to the EU line but only 2 Marechaussee officers checking passports. This is at 8:30 on a Monday morning.
I have never seen it this bad before.
Each gate takes 25 seconds on average (I was bored) between passengers. Only 5/6 gates were working so an average of 5 seconds per person. 500 people in the queue equates to a 41 minute wait on average.
I don't want to sound like a technophobe but this is not really progress in my eyes as the Marechaussee don't take anything like 25 seconds to check a passport.
No policing of queue jumpers either by Schiphol staff which made things worse.
For non-EU passport holders it was even worse. A similar queue length to the EU line but only 2 Marechaussee officers checking passports. This is at 8:30 on a Monday morning.
I have never seen it this bad before.
#2
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,410
It is already quite impressive that 5 gates were operational, how many KMARs were there in total? only 2 for non-EU passports?
#3
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: Delta Silver, HH Gold, Accor Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 5,340
#4
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 179
25 seconds is not bad at all. My first time going thru the auto gates, I put my passport in without opening it ... then a guy had to come over to get it out, not too happy about it (and neither were the people waiting behind). Next time, staff were around and attentive that everyone does the right thing
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: MME (midway between NCL and LBA)
Programs: BA Gold, AF/KL Gold, Hilton Gold, Nordic Choice Gold
Posts: 742
25 seconds is not bad at all. My first time going thru the auto gates, I put my passport in without opening it ... then a guy had to come over to get it out, not too happy about it (and neither were the people waiting behind). Next time, staff were around and attentive that everyone does the right thing
I really need to look into Previum...
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
Schiphol is in for a long and hot summer.
According to Luchtvaartnieuws.nl KL is finalizing contingency plans to deal with the anticipated chaos.
Johan
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: MME (midway between NCL and LBA)
Programs: BA Gold, AF/KL Gold, Hilton Gold, Nordic Choice Gold
Posts: 742
If I knew I was in for a 40 minute wait, I would have gone through arrivals and then walked upstairs and back through departures. This trick works well at LHR T5.
It surely would have been quicker? I don't depart from AMS that often so I'm not so aware of how busy Schengen departures gets.
It surely would have been quicker? I don't depart from AMS that often so I'm not so aware of how busy Schengen departures gets.
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
#13
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,410
If I knew I was in for a 40 minute wait, I would have gone through arrivals and then walked upstairs and back through departures. This trick works well at LHR T5.
It surely would have been quicker? I don't depart from AMS that often so I'm not so aware of how busy Schengen departures gets.
It surely would have been quicker? I don't depart from AMS that often so I'm not so aware of how busy Schengen departures gets.