ninjalad

I just saw that there is a new security lane for passengers immediately after passport control , I asked one agent directing people to it how it worked and was told it was random. I wasn't sent there but others were with a line of about 20 pax. That should truly mess up some of those with very short connections and on a random basis !

nldogbert

Are you sure it is a security lane like the normal security lane when entering from a non-sterile area or was it one for customs check (e.g. for money laundering, etc).
I find it strange since everything is quite centralized now and I believe all Schengen arrival flights are deemed "secured" flight - so no secondary screening should be needed when doing such a transfer from Schengen to non-Schengen...

Cheers!

ninjalad

Well they were putting bags through an xray machine with instructions about liquids , they have been building the wooden wall there for a while, I have to go back past for my flight so will have another look

Solevita

I went through this last year, after going through the automated gates they grabbed me and the wife to send us through there. No other pax in front so wasn't much of a delay just seemed rather odd.

ninjalad

It wasn’t there three weeks ago, it seems to be full security check but laptops etc and liquids in 100ml bottles can stay in luggage . Not sure of the fate of any bigger bottles. There’s also a metal detector arch to go through

nldogbert

another silly move by the airport authorities if this is true....not sure what's the reason behind this...justifying the reason for increasing airport taxes? Luckily I don't have to use this path majority of the time.. although this does mean that for those that want to cross over to use the facilities/lounges (as sometimes those flying Vueling/Level with BA issued tickets/flight # and with status, they are eligible to use the BA lounge) might encounter additional time - including those with short connection will run into higher stress - since if you get pulled over you can't request to be skipped from being checked....

Cheers!

KLflyerRalph

What? This is an additional check for PAX who have cleared security at their origin airport, coming from Lounge 1 going to Lounge 2/3?

ninjalad

According to the security guy I spoke to it is a new EU rule since January,

irishguy28

Hang on. ALL customers are checked?

KLflyerRalph

I know since January they stopped the interviews for US-bound flights because the regular security at AMS was deemed sufficient. Could it be that this checkpoint is for US-bound PAX?

GUWonder

I doubt that it’s just for the latter, since just beyond it passengers can mingle with passengers for a variety of destinations that are not in the US.

And the following publicly suggests it’s not limited to US destinations:

https://ec.europa.eu/transport/theme...ng-aviation_en

GUWonder

I will hazard a guess here for now: for EU compliance purposes, a “random” selection of such checking, above some threshold, probably is sufficient.

IME, there has been some SMD, SED and EVD/ETD ramped up at Schengen airports this year.

irishguy28

Whoah, too many TLAs in that sentence!!!

irishguy28

Indeed, which is what makes this "random" aspect totally meaningless.

If, as you point out, there is a danger that even these randomly-checked passengers can again pick up something disallowed by "mingling" with the airside crowd, that means that they are not convinced that airside is actually "clean", and therefore rather than random checks, everyone should be checked.

I assume this is just another example of "security theatre", and that the facilities and personnel used up on this off-Broadway production () would be better employed filling out the chorus line on the main Broadway show, i.e. at the central security checkpoints where waiting times are often long enough as it is, due to lack of staff and closed security lanes.

Mirk

I've seen the security lane mentioned here and observed it from the non-Schengen side in action.
Passengers exiting from passport controls exiting the Schengen zone are randomly selected by an agent for additional screening.
Although, from my observations, it's not as random as one can think as people with a rolling suitcase are more likely to be sent for inspection. I was also under the impression that the face of the passenger was also taken into account based on the few minutes of observation.
Unsure what happens to the liquids (for example water bottle) the passenger may have obtained post-security.