Reporting from lounge 25. Took an Uber to the airport from West. First 5 drivers or so cancelled and got me worried a bit (is that normal in Amsterdam?) but managed to arrive with only about 15 minutes delay at 04:15.

The only checkpoint open is departures 1 via the entry point across from the Skypriority check in desk. The other larger entry behind check in desks 1-4 was closed. The smaller one that was open was even being heavily throttled, only letting a few pax through per minute. Long lines but not yet snaking through the tent outside. Inside it did snake through departures 1 quite a few times.

Skypriority check in still closed. Thought about using the back entry, which was roped off for everyone but decided to wait for check in to open. Line of about 50-75 pax there too. Only after opening to be told that departures 2 security is closed.

Decided to try to make a left to departures 1 from the closed off departures 2 area as was discussed here earlier.. roped off. Though that was resolved reasonably quickly and we could then walk straight through to the leftmost checkpoint at departures 1. Looking back I probably could/should have asked the attendant at the regular non-prio checkpoint to be let through the privium gate… I feel they would have allowed that most likely.

all and all about 40 minutes from drop off to (Un stocked, no food available) lounge. Including about 15 min for skypriority to open. Flight is in about 90 min. Could have timed it a little tighter in hindsight, next time (having skypriority) I’ll probably won’t arrive before 04:30 and depending on if I feel lucky, a little later to reduce the buffer time.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...6d9984cf3.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...bb979c666.jpeg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2d04f5912.jpeg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...aaa57d923.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...13ef24fed.jpeg

One thing I noticed is that the sign at the back entry to skypriority says Skypriority.. but also business class and status holders. Implying non-Skyteam priority pax. May be useful when I’m flying *A priority at 7AM soon.

And funny how no days are marked purple - Situate krietik…

Fly easyJet, unironically.

Does the Executive Meet & Assist go to the front of the Priority queue or just provide an escort?

I had planned to book the VIP Terminal for arrival off EK (prior to this mess), but their auto response doesn’t seem to indicate they’re willing to take the booking.

m0hamed : please reffer to this thread:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/klm-...control-2.html

That thread discusses the use of executive meet & assist at Ansterdam airport.
It can work provided you are assigned the right person.

It can save a lot of time at several instances where there are queues.


EDIT:
forgot to mention for more piece of mind:
Schiphol VIP service
FT thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/klm-...rs-vips-3.html

I've recently booked on the flight LHR-AMS-BKK at klm.com (economy class with 1 checked-in bag but I have Flying Blue Platinum status) for travel on Friday 8th July. I have a 1 hour 10 minute connection ime in AMS with the LHR-AMS on KLM Cityhopper (that has always been a bus from aircraft to terminal rather than a jetway for me). This is my first trip since the start of the pandemic and back than I would not be concerned about the connection time. If I recall correctly, in the past it was a simple walk from the arrival gate (or bus drop off location) to the next gate withut any further passport/security checks as all outside the schengen area, but are things much slower now e.g. not enough staff to drive the airside buses? My return is via CDG also with a 1 hr 10 min connection but I am not seeing reports that CDG is having these problems like AMS and LHR.

Now seeing this thread about the AMS staffing issues (which I have seen for LHR in the news here) and getting slightly concerned about the connection time - should I be concerned?

Thank you, very useful.

Schiphol saw 19% fewer pax in May compared to the same month in 2019, yet they still made a complete mess of it.

Johan

thanks for the update!

i always presumed skypriority queue would encompass:
- first / business passengers
- those holding ANY eligable priority status (No distinct in Skyteam/StarAlliance/Oneworld priority status as long as it permits priority)


The Ubers cancelling could be because the impossibility to reach some (binnenstad) streets due to the canals/street works/closure as much traffic is 1 way now (detours) + your taxi needs a special permit to use the tram/bus lane and/or enter seperate construction lanes (a last new trick by our green party)

Uber black / van seems to be reliable but Uber X is shakey unreliable....

It means fewer than 60,000 departing passengers.

Both your flights are non-Schengen. If you arrive at an airbridge you are in the airport area where you will depart too (although D-gates arrival to say G departure takes 15 min walking or so). A bus will drop you off in non-Schengen too. You will not need to pass security nor immigration and I cannot see a lot of risk here. Only if KLM starts to cancel your LON-AMS feeder flight (I had one cancellation where they booked me on next flight to Paris, which did not allow me to make my connecting flight in Paris...so bad quality of KLM, and the travel agent of my business had to fix it).

That's what I remember. Do KLM Cityhopper ever use airbridge gates? I've always taken a bus from a Cityhopper flight. Finger-crossed the LHR-AMS is not cancelled and I miss the connection to BKK.

Bus is very likely but I had airbridges at D from LCY with Embraer. If they cancel LON-AMS, let them book you on an earlier flight. What I found disappointing for my AMS-CDG-Florence flight that they cancelled AMS-CDG, booked me later without that the connection in CDG was possible (indeed arrival 1 hour later as departure of the Florence flight), and that upon direct contact via messenger KLM said - you booked via an agent, they have to sort this out. My business travel agent solved it, but this KLM behavior is not as it should be, to put it mildly. I hope you booked directly with KLM since then they have no escape or excuse in case of any cancellation.

Yes, I always book directly with airlines and I never use online travel agents.

My KLM flight for 2 days time was cancelled, and without doing anything 2 hours later I was rebooked onto Lufthansa flights with similar departure and arrival times. I'm impressed to be automatically rebooked outside of AF/KLM, but a little disappointed to not be able to claim the EU261 compensation.