Originally Posted by terrier

DL Silver Medallion (= SkyTeam Elite) does NOT give (sky)priority check-in access at Schiphol. Gold Medallion (= SkyTeam Elite Plus) does get SkyPriority access.

Originally Posted by terrier

Good luck arguing that with the employee guarding the entrance to the SP check-in area when your BP/itin does not have SkyPriority printed on it. In any case I would never rely on it.

Originally Posted by terrier

Good luck arguing that with the employee guarding the entrance to the SP check-in area when your BP/itin does not have SkyPriority printed on it. In any case I would never rely on it.

Originally Posted by Xandrios

Interesting. The LH check in agent told you to use the SkyPriority priority lane, going through the 'back entrance'? This one:



Some people have been doing that previously but this was considered 'against the rules'. Was there any agent at the gate to check your LH boarding pass, and did they let you through without having to argue with them? Or you just went through the gates with the "do not enter" sign without talking to anyone? (I'd have done the same, by the way..)

One thing to note is that Skypriority check in only opens at 04:30AM. And at that time, departures 2 security (which is where the escalator ends up) is still closed. unclear to me when security does open there. There may, or may not, be a way to move upstairs from Departures 2 to Departures 1. Last week I had to ask staff to open some of the barriers upstairs as Departures 2 was still closed, and the priority lane through to Departures 1 was roped off.

If this is, in fact, now the official new Priority lane for all elites/business pax (So not only KLM Skypriority like it has been so far) then that would be a very good development for everyone not flying Skyteam. Slightly less great news for SkyPriority and Privium pax as more people will be using this priority lane.

Schiphol says this... not too clear. but they do confirm that there should be a priority entrance for non Skyteam pax... theoretically.




The closer to summer, the more people will be on those awful 5-6-7 AM Transavia flights out of Departures 1. For some reason the majority of Transavia aircraft depart at that hour, and these are mainly holiday destinations. I'm pretty sure this is the majority of the Departures 1 queue at the early morning.

Originally Posted by Fabo.sk

Sitrep from today.

My flight is delayed by about two hours, but every alternative is hopelessly over (the nice check-in staff checked). I guess I'll be overnighting in Vienna and then it's a question of taking the train or next flight tomorrow (at least there is one now, in winter there was none).

I've checked departures 1 control. There's an optimistic sign that mentions "for connections shorter than 60 minutes" but in reality it's closed. Everyone has to go through the stairs, there's now signs going all the way back to the first door by check-in 1, reusing some of the tents that would have been used for entry to terminal.

I'm currently in Privium lounge outside security, it's about a third full, and there is a constant flow of people registering with the Marechaussee. The screen said the waiting time was 30-35 minutes for Dep1 and 0-2 minutes for 3 and 4 when I arrived an hour and a half ago, then it went to 10-12 each and later 0-2 each.

Unfortunately I can't in the end comment on airside as my flight was cancelled.

Originally Posted by UVAhoo06

Are you flying out of VIE And connecting in AMS to another country in Schengen zone?

Originally Posted by jerry_greece

Now in the also relatively quiet Lounge 52, saw my first mouse. What do I get? Maybe a G&T in a proper glass?

Originally Posted by Fabo.sk

Oh right, the security experience... I passed shortly after 8. Everybody was directed from Dep2 checkpoint, which was being closed and cleaned, to Dep 1 side. Both priority and not

I was the only person in priority section, this time no secondary either.

Originally Posted by hi55us

So what's the best gameplan for someone flying KLM TATL J in two weeks, originating at AMS and departing at 9:45am. Go through Security/Bag check at Departures 2? Departures 3? We're planning on arriving at 5am, since we absolutely can't miss our flight, but this 4 hour rule worries me.

Originally Posted by atflyer

My goodness, this is nuts. Departures 2 is towards non-Schengen not? So the pour souls had to clear security S-S via D1 and then go through the airside S-nS passport control?

Originally Posted by atflyer

Which day? You could compare with the calendar of busy/less busy days in this thread (usually Tuesdays are less of an issue). But in general I have the impression that the mornings are causing most trouble (that is why I moved an early afternoon flight Sunday to Oslo to Saturday late evening - KLM allowed this free of charge, my host is fine with offering me another day hotel pay. And that is why you saw this pic of people queueing from 3.30-5.30 am - Transavia indeed has these early holiday flights since then they can squeeze in another leg of the plane in the same day). Worried people that normally would show up 1.5 hours in advance, now show up 4 hours in advance -> 2-3 times the crowd early mornings. I would just see how Dep 2 and Dep 3 look like and then chose the best one (many posts earlier I shared my experience upon coming back from London that using immigration at the stairs going down from D gates was looking bad, and immigration at E-gates got me through in 25 minutes). In short, I think the best game plan is indeed arriving a bit over 4 hours before the flight (hope you travel hand luggage, otherwise you are too early for the luggage drop), and then check if D2/D3 would be quickest. If I have to believe Schiphol communication there have been people missing flights on the few worst days, but with 4 hours you may be reasonably safe. And who knows on your day it is one of the days that 30-40 min are all that is needed. Good luck.