thomas199023

Arrived via train at 10:10am
No wait at BA priority check in.
long line at T3 security, walked to t2 priority, no wait at Privium, 2 people ahead of me.

total time arriving at station -> drop off bag-> Privium lounge west 20 minutes.

Netherlines

Not too bad!
Is the Privium Lounge West busy?

thomas199023

not nearly as busy as I feared. Maybe 50% full?

Xandrios

Thanks for the report. Surprising that the lines for departures 1 and 2 are different as both are for entry to the Schengen gates. if anything I'd expect Departures 2 to be longer since it serves also non-Schengen.

malmostoso

Is a "slot" just a "departure/arrival space" or is it tied to a specific destination? I seem to understand that it's the latter, but I might be wrong.

b12e

My guess is most people don't know Schiphol as well as we do, and just follow signs mindlessly. If their TA or airline says "follow departures 1" they just do so. While in reality they could just as well go through departures 2 if they don't need to check in luggage at one of the check in desks in dep1.

And then there's the people who have no clue about where to go, see a massive queue and just join it (because it's where everybody else goes, so why wouldn't they have to go there)

irishguy28

No: it is certainly not the case that *every* slot pair is inherently associated with a particular destination and is awarded with a requirement that it must be used for a particular destination.

There may be cases, in slot-restricted airports and/or as a remedy imposed on airlines with a dominant position or after a merger, that certain pairs must be surrendered to other airlines willing to operate on routes that would otherwise be deemed monopolistic (without competition); and the timing (and price) of certain slot pairs will make them only practical for certain flights (I.e. an 11pm departure slot is not going to be of interest to.a US carrier seeking to operate a TATL flight).

In the absence of any particular regulatory restrictions, operators are free to bid for and use any slots as they themselves see fit.

supersympa

I have been 4 times transiting through AMS in the last 2 weeks....
I must say it is a NIGHTMARE....and I am only transitting!
When I see pictures of the outside queue to get in the airport , I am surely lucky! (and sorry for those who need to get in AMS)

How come the transfer desk is such a mess? no sky prio neither?
No help from the gate's staff (I am platinum flying in J!!!)

I had plans for more transit via AMS in the next few weeks/months, but I will rebook via FRA or CDG.

Xandrios

Well that's not going to happen. During covid times (or at least parts of it) airlines had no reason to operate all their flights yet were forced to do so to keep their slots. And now that the airport has a capacity issue all of a sudden the airlines are allowed to drop slot restrictions? Voluntarily... while this is the time the airlines need to run their full schedule to make up for the losses that were partly created by these slot restrictions in the first place? Hah! Schiphol is dreaming.

The only way I see this happening is if the situation at Schiphol is deemed some kind of safety hazzard and some of the point-to-point low cost airlines (HV?) are forced by authorities to move somewhere else. Maybe... Lelystad (Controversial idea... I know). Although Lelystad may also have staff issues at that point, but at least the capacity would be spread over multiple airports. I don't know. Its weird anyway that Schiphol has so many staff issues while Eindhoven and other airports do not. Sounds like it is not only an issue with the market, but specifically an issue with working conditions/pay at Schiphol.

johan rebel

Which issues specifically made it a nightmare? Transfer security? Transfer passport control? Flight delays? Cancelations? Packed lounges? All of the above?

Johan

irishguy28

There were - and still are - some reliefs in operation at an EU level.

According to this, an airline is currently (and til 29 October 2022) allowed to use a minimum of 64% of its slots without losing its full allocation

https://transport.ec.europa.eu/news/...-2021-12-15_en

supersympa

ALL! (except transfer pass control, only a few pax ahead of me both time)

johan rebel

What other EU rules will Schiphol have to take into account when revoking slot allocations?

Johan

irishguy28

A considerable number of departing pax only get airside after their flight has departed. Unable to get through on the phone or rebook themselves online, their only option is to.join yet another queue, for the transfer desks, for assistance in rebooking.

Some (all?) transfer desks usually have a SkyPriority line, but at problem times who knows if they are staffed or the lines controlled. At least some of the SkyPriority pax thus affected may fare better contacting the priority phone numbers for rebooking where necessary.

irishguy28

You better address your queries and concerns to the slot coordinator, Johan. But please report back!