Mess in AMS today - April 2022 onwards
#451
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AMS+IAH
Programs: Lufthansa: Senator || IHG: Diamond Royal Ambassador Inner Circle || Plutonium Status
Posts: 3,504
Seems i'll need to start camping out there.
Fortunately my next longhaul out of T3 is mid July so i am going to book the Sheraton at the Airport for piece of mind
To much uncertainty if by then:
the car/taxi can reach the airport from A4 highway ,
and/or reach the T3 departures drop off point!
#452
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Somewhere between BHX and HUY
Programs: Flying Blue Plat, Eurobonus Silver, ALL Gold
Posts: 1,674
Remember that project managers think that if it takes 9 months for a lady to make a baby, then 9 ladies could make a baby in 1 month.
Real world doesn't always work this way.
KL is performing now 13% under prepandamic levels so it’s not the case that all seats are occupied. And who says that all aircraft are used 100%. For example, I saw yesterday that a B738 coming in from Oporto was sitting like 6 hours before used for the next flight. On the other hand I saw that KL was operating all 4 daily BLL flights with E175/190/195 aircraft. So it could be an idea to bundle the KL1342 and KL 1344 and fly with one B738 or B739.
As for KLM the action it can take directly are more limited. They are a captive client.
#453
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,727
Again, it's the inability of passengers to get through security on time - and the corresponding delays in departure as some aircraft are held to allow a handful of extra passengers to board - that is the problem.
KL is performing now 13% under prepandamic levels so it’s not the case that all seats are occupied. And who says that all aircraft are used 100%. For example, I saw yesterday that a B738 coming in from Oporto was sitting like 6 hours before used for the next flight. On the other hand I saw that KL was operating all 4 daily BLL flights with E175/190/195 aircraft. So it could be an idea to bundle the KL1342 and KL 1344 and fly with one B738 or B739.
Cancelling 2 Embraer flights will add a nice gap in the schedules of 2 Cityhopper (WA) Embraer crews; but that means that KL would then have to find a "spare" KL Boeing *AND* crew to operate this flight instead. The crews freed up after this cancellation of 2 WA Embraer flights cannot just hop over to a completely different aircraft type and operate a KL Boeing flight.
Schiphol calls on airlines to cancel flights to prevent chaos and crowds
Schiphol to limit flights this summer to avoid severe delays for travellers
Schiphol security queues will last through the summer: nu.nl
#454
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: AMS, JFK/EWR/LGA
Programs: Flying Blue/Platinum, TK/Elite Plus, QR/Platinum, LH/FTL, Marriott/Platinum
Posts: 293
At schiphol now, my train arrived at 3:30pm, i was thru security at 3:40pm. No line whatsoever to get upstairs. Flying business on Finnair, checked in online, no checked bag and I was able to use the priority line once upstairs. Non-priority line has a wait time of max. 15 minutes. Positively surprised but now have lots of time to kill in the Aspire lounge (which is packed)…
#455
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AMS+IAH
Programs: Lufthansa: Senator || IHG: Diamond Royal Ambassador Inner Circle || Plutonium Status
Posts: 3,504
It seems security +(pasport control) at T1/T2 and T3 all have their peak moments between 07.00 and 14.00 afterwhich there is a quiet period for a smaller peak between 16.00 - 18.00
#457
Join Date: Dec 2017
Programs: DL DM, TK ELP, LA PASS Black, FB Platinum
Posts: 108
Arrived for my 20:00 flight to ZRH at about 16:00. Expecting the worst. Nobody at check-in. So done in 5 minutes. Security control almost empty. Also maximum 5 minutes. Went to Star Alliance lounge and saw it was closed. Sign there you can enter Aspire lounge. The first line today to enter lounge. En total from check-in to the lounge in only 25 minutes. Not bad. But the lounge is a joke. Completely full. No seats available. All occupied. We have to wait until something is available.
#458
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: AMS / DUS / DXB
Programs: BAEC Silver | Flying Blue Gold | Accor Gold
Posts: 107
Confirming what was said before.
Had to switch trains at AMS and had 20 minutes to take a stroll around 2pm.
Departures 2 and 3 both super super empty. Schiphol is still marketing it as "peak day" :-)
Had to switch trains at AMS and had 20 minutes to take a stroll around 2pm.
Departures 2 and 3 both super super empty. Schiphol is still marketing it as "peak day" :-)
#459
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: MAD
Programs: FB Plat
Posts: 250
Earlier today it was jam-packed, non priority lines were 3-hour long for many this morning, and I had never seen AMS so busy airside. KLM Schengen lounge was standing only, privium express at times had no spare seat either, and the general airport was packed. It seems very hit or miss, but what I saw today was not just insufficient staff also excess of passengers before and past security.
Last edited by AnaTFN; May 25, 2022 at 9:29 am Reason: Typos
#461
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
Having been fed a media diet of Schiphol horror stories for weeks, lots of pax are turning up at the airport many hours earlier than they otherwise would have. If they then clear security faster than they expected, they pack the lounges instead. The lucky ones whose flights are delayed will then remain in the lounges even longer.
I was one of those fortunate ones yesterday. Company policy now dictates pitching up at the airport at least four hours before STD, and with a nice delay thrown in as a bonus I ended up spending 6½ hours at Schiphol, most of that time in lounges. I can think of better ways to have fun.
Johan
#462
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA Plat, UA 1K>Plat>moving to Silver
Posts: 2,089
The KLM web page is showing an alert that says I can change due to the Schiphol operational issues if my flight is May 25-June 1. I will be watching this as I am scheduled to fly June 4 US to AMS, then connecting on. I would be happy to change to an AF flight through CDG. We will see if the problem is any better by then.
#463
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA, AK, Mar, Hyatt
Posts: 8
Thx everyone for the information and continued updates. Currently looking to plan an Aug/Sep family vacation from Los Angeles to Brussels, then returning out of Amsterdam. These photos are making me wonder if I should flip that and fly into Amsterdam first and then return home out of Brussels? Barring catching a lightning in a bottle, I'll most likely be in Econ class, so zero boarding priority.
#465
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: ZRH
Programs: LH SEN only nowadays, AF & AY basic. Radisson Blu fan :-)
Posts: 505
Same here JorgeGomez sat on the floor for 4 hours and now waiting for the plane… wishing us luck 😉
Last edited by pilatusguy; May 25, 2022 at 12:37 pm Reason: Tag