Ditto

I have an upcoming flight AMS-TLL later this year and was wondering what to expect as an FB Plat?

- Will I be able to OLCI 5 days in advance? (I have the KL PNR which seems to work in Air Baltic site)
- Do I get checked-in bag for free? KLM website suggests yes, Air Baltic site suggests no
- Do I get priority at security?
- Do I get access to the crown lounge?

irishguy28

Your baggage allowance will be whatever is stated on your e-ticket, adjusted to reflect your status if necessary.

You will be treated at AMS just as if you were travelling on KLM.

Ditto

Thanks @irishguy28

arjen05

I've traveled AMS-VNO return trip on BT, but ticketed and marketed KL. I've reached out to KLM before departure to check any FB Gold perks, they told me I won't get SkyPriority or lounge access. This is confirmed by their social media team in a facebook message:

Hallo Arjen, we hebben de boeking bekeken. Je mag voor deze vlucht 1 stuk van 23kg inchecken. De Priority services zullen voor deze vlucht niet gelden, aangezien Air Baltic geen Skyteam partner is. Mocht je verdere vragen hebben, dan horen we het graag.

Reason given is that BT is not in Skyteam.

OLCI was not available, the KLM app gave an error and BT didn't recognize the KLM ticket number. Couldn't check in at the KLM check in at the airport, was chosen where to check in (Swissport handling BT check-in at AMS), but sent to the wrong place by the KL agent. Finally arrived at the right desk, but the agent wanted to charge me 25 euros because I didn't check in online. Showed my physical FB Gold card and got the fee waived.

No Skypriority on the ticket, as announced before, but my Flying Blue number (without status) and KL flight # were printed at the BP, so I showed the priority security lane my gold card and the corresponding # at my ticket and could then enter priority security at AMS.

Lounge access: ticket gave an error when scanning at the self-service entrance. Showed my BP with FB # and again they asked for the physical gold card, could then enter the lounge.

Luggage was not labeled with priority label.

Returning VNO-AMS it was early morning and the airport was empty, so didn't try business check-in or priority security. No issues at check-in.

irishguy28

You must always check in with the operating carrier, never the codeshare partner with whom you booked.

[In some cases, KLM will be the handling/checkin operator at AMS anyway, though not in the case of BT]

johan rebel

Try checking in online with EY when flying from AMS, you will be redirected to KL's wonderful OLCI, even when on a EY booking.

Johan

arjen05

Tried OLCI with BT, but was impossible for KL ticketed flights

irishguy28

Like I said, in some cases this will involve checking in with a different handling agent. It was the same for all Aer Lingus flights from AMS until last year. The operating airline will always direct you where you need to go if there is an exception.

Ditto

Reporting back on my experience:

- OLCI worked with no issues with the KL issued PNR, checked in 5 days before the flight, got seats allocated and there was no option online to change them, as I wasn't really bothered about the seats, I didn't try to call to change
- At the airport, took about 10 minutes to check in a bag, the agent was confused and not sure that we should not pay for it, she checked with all other colleagues and they also had no idea, she then referred to some manual they had, which offered no help, she tried to call KLM but could not get through, finally she asked us if we are sure the bag should be free, and proceeded to check it in, no priority tags and the bag was literally the last one out on the belt...
- SP security was not an issue, showing the BP + FB card
- Lounge access was also not an issue, showing the BP + FB card
- Finally miles didn't credit, so after about a week I went and did a retro-claim and miles were credited instantly

Funnily enough, at OLCI I got an error that my FF number is not recognised so I removed it, yet the BP still had it printed (but no mention of KL marketed), the ones later printed at the airport had no FF number but had "Sold as KLXXXX"
When entering the lounge, Ms. Dito (FB Gold) went first and there were no issues, when I went in the agent "warned" me that my FB number is not in the booking and I should go to the FB desk for help, why the different "treatment" I have no clue

ShopAround

Bumping this thread up to see if there are any more recent reports - I'm flying JFK-AMS-TLL in August, with the last leg operated by Air Baltic. I assumed I'd be able to check in and get my boarding pass at JFK and check bags through to TLL. Not too concerned about seats, I'm flying J, which is "EuroBusiness" on the AMS-TLL leg.

One thing I don't know since I don't usually transit through AMS is if I have to re-clear security. I know when I transit through CDG it's both passport control and security, it is the same at AMS? Do I have to dump the gin in my Delft house so it doesn't get confiscated because it's liquid?

Sorry for the newbie questions, I'm not very familiar with KLM and AMS.

Thanks!

Ardecos

There is no security check on flights from the USA when you land and enter the non-Schengen side of AMS. Your baggage should be checked through to Talinn. However, Estonia is in the Schengen zone, so you'll have to pass through the non-Schengen/Schengen barrier. Nowadays, this is a just a passport check.

Goldorak

Just curious : what else "before" ?

ShopAround

Thanks for your response. That isn't what KLM replied when I tweeted them to ask. Their response was: please know that liquids may be carried in your hand baggage but only in small amounts not exceeding 100 ml (3.4 oz) per object. You must place these in a transparent and sealable plastic bag with a volume of no more than 1 liter. The bag must be closed and the objects must fit inside it easily. One transparent plastic bag may be taken per person.

I did make it clear that I was connecting but honestly, I'd believe a FT'er with experience doing this over a KLM rep that probably never connected in AMS themselves and may not be clear on the connection process.

atflyer

Ardecos is right imho. No security, just passport check for your itinerary. KLM houses have 35 ml or so and fit in the transparent liter bag - I have brought them in this way in my hand luggage through security often.

Ditto

Their response, while generic, is still correct, the fact that you don't clear security again in AMS doesn't change the liquid restrictions
Either way the FA will seal the house for you similar to how they do it when you buy liquids in the duty free, in the unlikely event that you'd have to clear security for any reason while connecting (maybe you end up having to go land-side due to IRROPS or some other reason, who knows)