CyBeR

The priority line is for everyone whose airline gives them access to priority security.

Xandrios

On that topic; How does the person checking BP's know for sure that you do (or do not) have the right to use the priority lane? When flying business it is easy enough, however when flying economy each airline calls it slightly different. 'Priority', 'Priority security', 'Speedy', 'Fast lane', 'Elite', 'Star Gold' and so on - where some airlines are actually talking about the check in or boarding process, rather than security. Is there some kind of standard keyword that indicates that one has access to priority security? Would/should/can we expect from that person to know which status levels with various FFP's give access to priority security?

Reason for asking is, of course, because I'm wondering if *G would give me access flying economy on the various *A airlines out of AMS. Havent tried that yet since this mess started but its bound to happen sometime soon. Would be good to know if I should expect a 30 minute or 3 hour wait..

GUWonder

They used to have access to some kind of “cheat sheet” that referenced elite status customers in economy class.

derlutz

quick update from AMS transit Shengen - Non Shengen on Wednesday November 2, at 7:15 AM.
Everything went super smooth; short line at the passport control.
I estimate we made it in around 30 minutes from gate to gate.

CyBeR

Schiphol asks its customers (airlines) what branding they use for priority access, and presumably disseminates this information to the people checking BPs. It's not as simple as "if you see Business it's ok", not all airlines give priority access to all business customers. For example AY has a "business light" fare that does not include priority, lounge access, bags, etc.

Luckily for those people most such branding includes the word 'Priority' so it shouldn't be too difficult. And all of SkyTeam has standardised that to 'SkyPriority' which is thanks to AFKLDL easily the biggest group of pax.

Xandrios

Thanks. I do wonder if the staff checking actually have memorised all of these. I just went through this morning with an Aegean BP and class ‘Business | Flex’. That class doesn’t actually exist but is rather a result (I think) of my Economy Flex ticket being upgraded to Business last minute. I’d be very curious if one will be able to get through with status from some obscure airline that should theoretically give access, but one that the staff may not be familiar with.

it wasn’t too busy this morning at 09:15 by the way. Somehow they still managed to take 30 minutes to go through security: Lots of secondary backed up, a trainee at secondary inspection, and they decided to do a staff swap while I was waiting for my bag at secondary to be checked. The culprit of course.. a small bottle of antiseptic. The 0.5L bottle of water they didn’t have problems with.

Fabo.sk

It seems NS has definitively decided to take over the crown of inefficiency from Schiphol.

After missing my planned train by a minute (fair enough, that's on me for having to rush back to get my company phone), I thought no problem, take the next one in 15 minutes.
No such luck, stops one station down the line and stays there. Cancelled.
Waiting another 15 minutes, the next train does the same. Stops one station down the line. Stays there. Luckily this time it moves out after 5+ minutes of delay. Of course that means a full full train and missing my connection, all in all arriving about 50 minutes later than expected. Good thing I had extra time planned to have a dinner.

In contrast, everything goes smoothly at Schiphol. Lines for security almost non existent, to the point, that priority security might have taken longer than regular. No bags to secondary either, though the screener took a moment with each tray. Next to no lines on passport control either. If you wanted to make it more efficient, you barely could.

tourguide

I have worked at SPL both yesterday and today (meet/greet cruise passengers, not flying), and checked out several times if there were long lines for security in terminal 1-2, sky priority and terminal 3. No lines at all, so i guess waiting time for security is indeed quite normal. Of course i can't see what the situation is upstairs and if there is delay due to many bags going to secondary screening. I did see long lines for check-in though in departures 3-4 (Corendon, United). However, there are still once in a while delays in arrivals. Apparently at some KonMar passport check points, there are still long lines and only 1 or 2 staff, whereas other check points have no lines at all. And today there was a long wait again for pax on a UA flight incoming, to pick up their luggage. Luggage delivery took about 1 1/2 hours from landing. Let's see what the december month will bring us, traditionally a busy travel month.

Oh, and yes, when i was finished and wanted to take the train to Amsterdam Lelylaan, dutch railways NS also let me down by canceling the next train. I had to wait 25 mins for the next one, which fortunately was a long (10 carriages) one, still a lot of people had to stand due to the previous canceled train

mpkz

I agree that luggage delivery is definitely not working. Not that it was ever fast at Schiphol, but arriving Saturday morning my bag came out first, about 35 minutes after the plane reached the gate (and 25 minutes after scheduled arrival). I guess most pax did not notice since I was the first one at the luggage carousel despite being in economy comfort and there were only a few pax there when the first bags started to arrive.

Fabo.sk

My last two times the baggage was already out by the time I reached the belt. Though they seemed to purposefully select the further out belts, I was still impressed after previous experiences.

Both were KLM shorthauls though. Situation for longhaul or other handlers might be different.

GUWonder

Yes. There can be no line for the 1 or 2 staffed lines for non-Schengen to Schengen transfer passport control at AMS even as the lines to go the other way can have a relatively long line. For example, in the early afternoon yesterday, there were times when there would be no wait for transfer pax to get to passport control to enter Schengen but some transfer passengers exiting Schengen had a c 15-20 minute wait.

Doesn't KMar have a major shift change/relief for its personnel at AMS at around 1:30 pm on Sunday?

mblajolla

Flying premium economy AMS-LHR-SAN and can't risk missing cnnection. Adding business to the fare for AMS-LHR is the same cost as hiring a VIP departure service. Which is likely to be more reliable in expediting security etc? Any thoughts?

b12e

just come well in time if that's an option.

VIP services isn't taking new people in right now as far as I last read on the corresponding thread here on FT and paying top dollar / euro / pound for the AMS->LHR segment just to be able to use the fast lane at security probably also isn't worth it.

check the Schiphol website for expected crowd levels on the day you are flying. Might not even be a busy day.

FlyerStijn

if you can’t miss connection in LHR, then business will let you exit the plane a tiny bit sooner.
I’m unaware of VIP services in LHR.

Or am I misunderstanding and is your connection in AMS? Then VIP is unavailable.

mblajolla

I have plenty of time to make the connection if I make the flight out of AMS. What I'm worried about is the unpredictability of horrendous lines to get through security.
My understanding is that neither the BA silver nor United gold qualify for FasTrak at AMS. A business ticket does but there is a VIP departure service advertising the same.