Fabo.sk

So, I'm through the process.

Train arrived on time at 7:21, as I left the security control, the clock at the departure board just changed to 8:00. All in all 40 minutes train to lounge.

First hurdle was to enter the SP zone, check took less than a minute though with just a couple of people ahead of me.
Check in took longer, as the scale said my bag was over 25 kilos. Except that it also showed 1.9 when no bag was on it. Anyway I had to repack.

Although I only took out one pair of shoes and a raincoat, on the other side, my bag was now 22.4. No way the shoes and coat weighed almost 3 kilos. Right or wrong, 5+ minutes lost stupidly.

Walking out towards the back, I've noted that line for the eligibility check was quite long, going almost to the end of check-in area one, moving at the speed of a very slow walk. Would be possible to bypass with Privium if you walked around the other side I guess. No idea what the situation was upstairs.

Instead I walked to the site of Departures 1 security entrance, where I could easily enter with Privium. Normal scanners seemed on as well, though staff was turning most people away. I guess the scanners might allow premium eligible people traveling with Privium holders to enter.

Upstairs about 18 people in line ahead of me, some seemed to be mixed in from regular line. Only once machine open though, so progress was slow, not aided by the fact that Meet & Assist occasionally showed up and jumped the queue.
I took about 15 minutes to get through, my bag was one of the few gone to secondary though, so another two minutes or so there.

Express lounge was fullest I've ever seen any Privium lounge. Not that it matters much, I barely started drinking my coffee when I got the notification that the flight is boarding, almost 10 minutes early.

Side note, normally I board among the first, this time I got onboard a bit later. I found a lot of carryons in the bins lengthwise. How? Why? I mean, not only it takes up space, it makes the handle inconvenient to reach when taking out. Never noticed this before but I doubt it's a rarity.

Push on time, by the way, surprisingly given how late baggage was still being loaded.

Xandrios

Absolutely. First time I flew after having purchased the airtags (Maybe a year ago, prior to the luggage mess) I flew to the US. When on-board, just at push back, I decided to check the location of the checked luggage/airtag. During pushback it said that it was seen quite a ways away from the aircraft '5 minutes ago'. So I was sure that it didn't make the flight. A somewhat stressed take off later I was hoping that, if on board, the iphone would detect the tag if it was near by in the belly of the aircraft. Nothing. Decided to purchase in-flight internet access to see if the location (on the ground) would be updated with a more recent timestamp... and then saw the location having been updated somewhere over the Noordzee.

So in the end all was fine, bag made it just fine - it was just loaded rather late. But the tag caused me quite a bit of stress, as it was giving the impression that the luggage didnt make it.

On the other hand though, at other times, I've had very positive experiences too. Being able to detect the bag 'near by' (meaning within 10 meters or so) while you are on board is very nice and useful. And of course if you would lose your luggage you would know, at arrival, to not wait and proceed filling the missing bag form.

GUWonder

KL@AMS continues to have some real messes with checked luggage. And so the idea of frequent flyers with checked luggage this year being stressed out because of the use of AirTags, TilePro and/or other trackers when flying KLM via/out of AMS sounds sort of like putting the cart before the horse when it comes to traveler stress this year.

When KL@AMS fails to load on time a whole bunch of priority tagged bags for its flight to IAD, any "stress" from the use of the trackers pales in comparison to any stress that may come from being impacted by KL's mishandling of the luggage for the AMS-IAD flight and the impacted passengers only discovering the luggage situation on arrival after a baggage belt in the FIS@IAD shuts down for the flight.

Pau3590

thank you, you are right. but to see where he is do i need internet? flights to Curaçao have departed so far, and bussines class I also expect to reach my flight on time. Especially because we are at Schiphol around 4.45 am. but I think in Curaçao we had no wifi in May and my telephone provider does not allow roaming outside of eu.
but I guess I don’t gonna buy an tagg. I put some really needed stuff in my hand luggage; I almost need my medication and swim wear and some clothes will be nice, but I hope if my suitecase missed, it will be in curacao in 1 week of less; I stay 3 weeks so all will be fine.
or I take 2 small trolly in hand luggage, and no checked in luggage

johan rebel

Pau3590 is flying to CUR, what KLM does or does not load on a flight to IAD is not really relevant, and when the luggage belt at that airport closes it is very unlikely to cause him or her any stress.

Johan

johan rebel

Sounds like the safest and most relaxing option to me. Go for it if you at all can.

Johan

South London Bon Viveur

Sounds like a standard Schiphol security experience

johan rebel

Just to cheer everybody up, the Zwanenburgbaan (18C/36C) closed today for maintenance. If things go according to plan, it will reopen next Monday.

As posted earlier, this same runway will be closed for half a year from January 2nd.

Johan

Fabo.sk

I always cheer when I see 18/36 but then despair when I notice letters other than 18R/36L

And to think I used to love Polderbaan arrivals.
Maybe I should try early morning arrivals again, so I can just feel like it's 20 more minutes of napping.

AnaTFN

First time trying to use Privium to go from S to NS and it turns out the gates are off. Staff directed me to join the back of the general passport line (since eGates are at the opposite side of the area). Not a huge wait, but for me Privium keeps under delivering.

b12e

I'll bring my torch and pitchfork next week if this is the case still.

what's the point of paying for a service which you can't use?

BA850

Taking a photograph was sensible. Send it as a complaint to Schiphol, noting that the promised (and paid for) services were not delivered.

The more negative feedback they receive about their incompetence, the better.

Didymis

Very strange. You should have been able to use the lane adjacent to the Privium gates. Just show the KMar your Privium card.

Xandrios

When you use this entrance you initially go up the stairs together with regular pax if I'm not mistaken. Is there actually a manned split off point to then move to the priority queue upstairs? And do you join the same priority queue together with the Skypriority pax that took the other entrance? or are there two priority checkpoints at Departures 1?

ben5450

Yesterday I did MEX-AMS-ORK, I had plenty of time for the connection but passing the security took me 1h45minutes (and I was one of the first out of the plane). Many stressed passengers about missing their flights and unhelpful staff. Not a great experience. Only 2 security were in operation.