sgunter

thanks for the intel. After finally getting to someone, they refused to rebook me absent a ton more money. After losing my baggage on the way in and cancelling our flight, I’m done with them. Nothing like spending another $2k with another airline to protect my work week ahead.

Markie

I am arriving from Spain, staying overnight at the Yotel and flying next day to London.
So staying airside overnight.
I assume my only problems will be at Dutch Immigration to leave Schengen to get to the Yotel and getting checked in by BA at the gate?

xarantine

This aligns with the attitude I saw when I flew out of AMS on one of their "crazy days". What does it matter to the security folk if people self-organise in line?!

Xandrios

Oh djeez. I'm assuming this is for security rather than for entering the terminal. But indeed, this does not seem like they expect to have a handle on things. With the removal of Priority for anything other than SkyPriority and Privium this is going to be a nasty situation for many.

Yes, just the checkpoint while leaving Schengen. And since you will do that prior to checking in for the night you will be fine time-wise, as even an extra 30 minutes would likely not hurt too much. The morning when departing you can walk straight from Yotel to your gate.
​​​​​​​I'm guessing that they are trying to prevent potential fights between pax. Say somebody in front of you allows a bunch of people to jump the line. That will delay everyone behind that person. Some will accept that, some won't.

8420PR

All KLM flights through to 17th June can be rebooked free of charge, so you should be able to change for free to AF flights via CDG.

https://www.klm.de/en/information/tr...-waiting-times

I successfully changed flights for this Monday to a better connection on KLM website, for free.

xarantine

That I can totally understand, but preventing two people next to each other swapping places seems excessive.

GUWonder

The morning flights out of CPH are better for making my US-bound trips via AMS. Being on the later flights to AMS that connect to the last US flights is a recipe for ending up not flying out until the next day or overnighting in AMS and then flying out the next day from AMS. You will want to avoid that. Either go the CDG way or take an earlier CPH-AMS flight.

ethant

Hey all. My family is traveling from the US through AMS tomorrow on the way to Florence and I just found out about this mess. We have a 6 hour layover and were planning on a quick visit to the city, but now, not so sure. I need to study this thread in more detail, but figured I would post for some quick feedback.

Our itinerary is SLC to AMS overnight. 6 hours at AMS and then flight to FLR at 21:00. We are flying business. I believe we have to clear passport control to the Schengen zone in any case, but not sure if we need to do security again? Clearly if we leave to head into the city on the train we'll need to clear security and risk that bottleneck. It seems like the main issue is that it's so unpredictable. It could be quiet when we arrive but then nuts when we are trying to get back into the airport, so not sure its worth the risk.

A related question - if we decide to stay at the airport does it make sense for us to spend most of the layover in the non-Schengen Lounge 52? From what I understand it's much better than 25. Clearly we would still need to give ourselves plenty of time to get through passport control if we elect this option.

Thanks!

GUWonder

US-AMS typically comes in for me such that there is no longer any passenger security rescreening at AMS; there is clear passport control to make an onward airside transit to a Schengen destination.

If clearing passport control at AMS on arrival into AMS and going to leave the airport to go lands-side, then you face the risk of the security screening mess at AMS when returning to the airport to try to make AMS-FLR. Nowadays is not the time for me to try to take a 2-3 hour jaunt into the city and gamble on the lines when getting back to the airport. I’m assuming you don’t have Privium.

BubbaX

I haven't seen anyone post about a >30 min wait for priority passengers in the evening. So if you risked it, you'd probably be okay (provided you returned to the airport at 1900). You could also try passing to Schengen and asking the people clearing security how long it took.
Lounges 52 and 25 have the same (crappy) food and both have showers. In lounge 52, you can go outside (until they close off that part), and it's generally less crowded in the late afternoon than 25 is. The agents at the door will try to steer you to 25. Tell them you want some fresh air.

johan rebel

Given the night-time flying ban, there will be fewer and fewer pax going through security as the evening progresses, and a large percentage will arrive many hours before their flight, having been scared out of their wits by media reports. So logically waiting times should decrease after 7 p.m. or so.

Johan

Xandrios

The few recent times that I wandered around the terminal in the evening the departures area was deserted. This is SkyPriority check-in at May 7 at 8PM, and this is Departures 2 security checkpoint (Which is the ones used for SkyPriority) May 27 at 19:30PM.

The main problem with AMS these days in unpredictability. But having said that, my impression is that after 7PM things are pretty OK. Haven't seen or heard about any day where that was not the case. No guarantees, but personally I'd probably go for it. Just be back to go through security ~2hr before departure.

johan rebel

Luchtvaartnieuws reports that Schiphol now also has serious problems providing wheelchair and mobility assistance. They are short of staff, of course, but the number of requests is also way higher than in 2019, i.e. pre-Covid. Given human nature, it wouldn't surprise me if some pax see requesting assistance as a way of avoiding the queues.

Johan

Duschi

Just passed security at departures 2 - was very quick via Sky Priority line

Immigration line looked extremely long (snaking all the way passed escalators down to Schengen departures. - right side of security ) yet downstairs passport control (Schengen to International) was completely empty.

AnaTFN

Part of this could be as you say, human nature. But I also think having to stand several hours is a major factor. A person that is able to go through regular check in and security before this mess might realistically need assistance when confronted with the long standing times that are now needed at peak times.