Mess in AMS today - April 2022 onwards
Jul 8, 2022, 4:20 pm
#1592
Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: AMS / ATH
Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold
Posts: 7,338
The backside gates at SkyPriority only lead to the security checkpoint (and have a manual check by Schiphol employee). You won't be able to walk into the KLM check in area, if that's what you are asking.
It took me 3 (!) hrs on hold to talk to somebody at Swiss. None of the options were one-day itineraries, and they did not want to accept my proposals (Replace one leg with a KLM flight, or change to a LH route with one domestic A3 segment to arrive at the same destination airport). Not allowed to even rebook onto A3 (Same alliance!).
Realising I'm not going to win this fight with LX (at least not right now) I ended up booking something new. While I was planning to fly business from AMS I did find a TUI flight from BRU to my destination. Since that would be a direct flight, rather than route through Switzerland, it departs much later that same day - allowing me to take a train AMS-BRU in the morning. So I booked that and plan to ask for a refund on the LX flights. Do you think there's any chance for getting compensation if you choose the refund option?
Guess that in the end I did exactly what Schiphol wanted me to do. Get off a booked flight from AMS and move onto another airport.
I may, possibly, have been able to claim expenses later on. The CS wasn't sure ("Normally no but you can try to claim..") and LX has a reputation of being unwilling to follow 261/2004. Hotels at FRA were at 400 euro a night so that is a bit of a gamble. It really is shocking how they treat their pax... and honestly it makes me now appreciate AF/KL quite a bit more on this front.
//offtopic (Apologies)
Don't forget to claim for compensation!
I had an LX flight in November cancelled this week. The system automatically rebooked me on the same flights 24 hours later but left the Singapore Airlines flight to Australia untouched, so I rang in. It took 2 calls (the first dropped after 22m 49s) and almost an hour in total to get that simple change made.
There was initially talk about rerouting me on Lufthansa (which I shot down...LH P earns nothing in A3!) and the first guy initially seemed to think I would need to spend 2 days in SIN waiting for the next available flight so maybe it was just as well that he dropped the call...
I had an LX flight in November cancelled this week. The system automatically rebooked me on the same flights 24 hours later but left the Singapore Airlines flight to Australia untouched, so I rang in. It took 2 calls (the first dropped after 22m 49s) and almost an hour in total to get that simple change made.
There was initially talk about rerouting me on Lufthansa (which I shot down...LH P earns nothing in A3!) and the first guy initially seemed to think I would need to spend 2 days in SIN waiting for the next available flight so maybe it was just as well that he dropped the call...
Realising I'm not going to win this fight with LX (at least not right now) I ended up booking something new. While I was planning to fly business from AMS I did find a TUI flight from BRU to my destination. Since that would be a direct flight, rather than route through Switzerland, it departs much later that same day - allowing me to take a train AMS-BRU in the morning. So I booked that and plan to ask for a refund on the LX flights. Do you think there's any chance for getting compensation if you choose the refund option?
Guess that in the end I did exactly what Schiphol wanted me to do. Get off a booked flight from AMS and move onto another airport.
//offtopic (Apologies)
Jul 8, 2022, 11:29 pm
#1594
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Plat, DL AMEX Plat
Posts: 333
Apologies if it has been noted, but NOS is reporting that KLM are cancelling an additional 10-20 rotations daily up to 28 August, and again restricting the availability of lower fare buckets to preserve space for those passengers needing to be rebooked. They also note that Cityhopper will not carry any freight/cargo until October 29 to ease the workload on ground/handling staff.
I popped over to the KLM app and, sure enough, my next KLM trip is showing an additional cancellation.
https://nos.nl/artikel/2435808-klm-a...kdruk-schiphol
I popped over to the KLM app and, sure enough, my next KLM trip is showing an additional cancellation.
https://nos.nl/artikel/2435808-klm-a...kdruk-schiphol
At least the phone rep was very helpful and polite.
Jul 9, 2022, 12:52 am
#1595
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Pagus Bracbatensis, Kingdom of the Netherlands
Programs: DL SPlat, KLM Bump, Privium Plus, GOES
Posts: 2,065
The Privium gate on AnaTFN's photo was working again this morning. Not that it really mattered as everyone was guided after the stairs to Dep 1 with only 3 positions at station nr. 1 available for priority/Privium. Those stations were also constantly used by meet & assist people.
So that line wasn't really moving and now and then they opened station 4 as overflow.
Schiphol employees were actively checking for priority, silver members were not allowed and had to use the normal line. Crazy part of it was that plentry of stations were open for them though and that line was constantly moving.
The end result; the silver member and a non-status couple using the non-priority line both passed us & were 12 & 13 minutes faster through security. Only at AMS......
So that line wasn't really moving and now and then they opened station 4 as overflow.
Schiphol employees were actively checking for priority, silver members were not allowed and had to use the normal line. Crazy part of it was that plentry of stations were open for them though and that line was constantly moving.
The end result; the silver member and a non-status couple using the non-priority line both passed us & were 12 & 13 minutes faster through security. Only at AMS......
Jul 9, 2022, 2:04 am
#1597
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Jul 9, 2022, 2:11 am
#1598
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: 39000ft
Posts: 955
Ofcourse. Acc. to EU261 you are entitled to either rerouting or refund and compensation is due in either cases. Happened to me in March with LX when they cancelled a flight 13 days out and offered me an alternative 2 days later(!). Initially, they refused the compensation twice because "they offered an alternative departure within a reasonable time difference". That happened in 2 emails. Then I filed a complaint with the Swiss regulatory authority and after a few weeks money was on my account.
Jul 9, 2022, 3:03 am
#1599
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
A number of colleagues should be arriving at Schiphol any minute now, all booked on shorthaul Schengen flights. I've been promised feedback, so should have more data points soon.
Edit: took 'm a while to report back, probably still shell-shocked by the fact that priority security only took ten minutes. That gave them extra time airside to wait for their flight, which is of course delayed and has yet to depart.
Johan
Edit: took 'm a while to report back, probably still shell-shocked by the fact that priority security only took ten minutes. That gave them extra time airside to wait for their flight, which is of course delayed and has yet to depart.
Johan
Last edited by johan rebel; Jul 9, 2022 at 8:19 am
Jul 9, 2022, 4:21 am
#1600
Join Date: May 2009
Location: AMS
Posts: 2,055
I just dropped off two friends at AMS, both DL elites. Line for SP check-in took about 15 to 20 minutes. They're mostly keeping people lined up outside the SP gate now so as to more efficiently use the available check-in desks, which they direct you to a specific one. (Good move, prevents line shuffling in front of the desks).
Didn't join them for security of course but they reported that line took about 20 minutes, with an additional 10 minutes needed for kmar.
Given that today is the first day of the Dutch summer school holiday, things at AMS honestly seemed fairly orderly.
Didn't join them for security of course but they reported that line took about 20 minutes, with an additional 10 minutes needed for kmar.
Given that today is the first day of the Dutch summer school holiday, things at AMS honestly seemed fairly orderly.
Jul 9, 2022, 9:15 am
#1604
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 185
Jul 9, 2022, 9:26 am
#1605
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 767
Thanks for the update. Do you know approx what time they arrived at the airport for the record? We’re they business, priority or normal?
A number of colleagues should be arriving at Schiphol any minute now, all booked on shorthaul Schengen flights. I've been promised feedback, so should have more data points soon.
Edit: took 'm a while to report back, probably still shell-shocked by the fact that priority security only took ten minutes. That gave them extra time airside to wait for their flight, which is of course delayed and has yet to depart.
Johan
Edit: took 'm a while to report back, probably still shell-shocked by the fact that priority security only took ten minutes. That gave them extra time airside to wait for their flight, which is of course delayed and has yet to depart.
Johan