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-   -   Mess in AMS today - April 2022 onwards (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/klm-flying-dutchman/2080797-mess-ams-today-april-2022-onwards.html)

downinit Jul 2, 2022 2:11 pm

Are they allowing a non-status spouse/family member to use the priority lanes if they are on same flight as an Elite Plus passenger? Is this something that depends on who you ask (i.e. if you get denied, go to another priority queue??)

watewate Jul 2, 2022 2:33 pm


Originally Posted by downinit (Post 34390745)
Are they allowing a non-status spouse/family member to use the priority lanes if they are on same flight as an Elite Plus passenger? Is this something that depends on who you ask (i.e. if you get denied, go to another priority queue??)

I'm a *G flying out of AMS at least twice a week and I can confirm that the priority entrance behind the KLM counters is definitely open for *G passengers, and not just limited to SP or Privium members. But the 2 times that I tried to bring along a companion (with no status), the person visually checking the priority status on the boarding pass turned away the companion very firmly.

Another datapoint. 01/07/2022 Friday at 3 PM, I went up the priority security line and there were 2 passengers ahead of me. Cleared security in 3 minutes flat.

jerry_greece Jul 2, 2022 2:35 pm


Originally Posted by downinit (Post 34390745)
Are they allowing a non-status spouse/family member to use the priority lanes if they are on same flight as an Elite Plus passenger? Is this something that depends on who you ask (i.e. if you get denied, go to another priority queue??)

That is a big, fat, NO. Today in the queue to enter the priority paradise, a schiphol employee was stressing that: "Skypriority is only for you, not your family, we will send you away, so do not bother". If your BP does not show priority, business or anything else, then they will turn you away.


Originally Posted by manuswiss (Post 34389746)
Did they arrive by car or by train? What class are they flying?

Airlines seem to be eager to wait for more pax. esp. since flights are starting to get full (and all alternatives are full). So it's either delaying the flight for some(?) hours or leaving the pax. in AMS for days possibly. This is the reason that AY today departed with almost a 6 hour delay.


Originally Posted by Xandrios (Post 34389754)
Thanks jerry_greece, much appreciated. Very useful info. That line for the priority gates sure does seem long... but if you got through in <1 hr its not that bad. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that today was a busy day according to schiphol. It was not a 'peak day' which we are probably going to be seeing over the next few weeks as the summer holidays are going to be kicking off.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...02cee946d.jpeg

Today was the one single day that hasn't got any 'alarming color' associated to it. What I don't get through, Dutch news is reporting Schiphol having reduced to a max of 67K pax per day for the busiest day's in July (By canceling or moving flights). That doesn't match the numbers in these calendar views. So honestly, it remains unclear and a lot of guesswork.

Yes, it was approx. 15-20 min. to enter the security zone and then the rest (40 min.) was snaking around to get to the security check. It might have been slow, since I remember last week seeing 2 stations (so 6 points in total) for Priority pax. but today it was only one station (3 points). Indeed, 1 hour seems okay. Not sure how early to arrive though: if priority works, it seems that 3 hours is an overkill, given that most flights are going to have some delay in any case (but that's another question...)

And indeed, i also saw that today it was just a normal peak day, so it will get worse...

matty884 Jul 2, 2022 3:29 pm

I'm curious to hear about people's recent experiences transiting through Schiphol. I'll be flying from the US to Norway, transiting through Schiphol with a 1.5 hour transit time. Will this be enough time to do passport check, assuming no delays? Normally 40-50 minutes is sufficient but not sure if I'll miss a connecting flight this way... :(

Xandrios Jul 2, 2022 4:20 pm


Originally Posted by watewate (Post 34390810)
I'm a *G flying out of AMS at least twice a week and I can confirm that the priority entrance behind the KLM counters is definitely open for *G passengers, and not just limited to SP or Privium members. But the 2 times that I tried to bring along a companion (with no status), the person visually checking the priority status on the boarding pass turned away the companion very firmly.

Another datapoint. 01/07/2022 Friday at 3 PM, I went up the priority security line and there were 2 passengers ahead of me. Cleared security in 3 minutes flat.

Awesome, thank you! Great news for *A elites. Do you happen to know if the *A lounge has re-opened by now (if not now..then when, right?!)? The Aspire lounge is very very crowded at times.


Originally Posted by matty884 (Post 34390937)
I'm curious to hear about people's recent experiences transiting through Schiphol. I'll be flying from the US to Norway, transiting through Schiphol with a 1.5 hour transit time. Will this be enough time to do passport check, assuming no delays? Normally 40-50 minutes is sufficient but not sure if I'll miss a connecting flight this way... :(

90 min is always going to be somewhat risky/tight, but the current situation at security should have little impact on your passport check coming from the US going into Schengen.

sbrower Jul 2, 2022 5:42 pm


Originally Posted by tourguide (Post 34390439)
What do you mean with 'transit security'? Have you read the threads about transfering at Schiphol? (And not Schipol)? If you had done a bit of reading, you would have discovered that Canada is not 'unsecure'.
If furthermore, you understand that both YYZ and JNB are non Schengen, than you can conclude that there is nothing between coming off a plane from YYZ and getting on to one to JNB. No transit security and no passport control. Nothing, zilch... So, i have a feeling that 4 hrs and 35 mins will just be enough...
Sorryr OP, but i am just getting a bit annoyed with all those individual questions about the possibility to make a transfer or not. By now, there is plenty of information in this thread and there is another thread going on about transit security at Schiphol. Have a relaxed trip and i hope you won't get bored during your long connection. But hey, you are in business, so you can stay in the lounge

I just want you to know that I appreciate you, and the other posters, who have clarified this issues. I was worried about my 70 minute connection from USA (safe) to Schengen (MXP), but I now understand that I am fine.

GUWonder Jul 2, 2022 7:20 pm

That should work, but I’ve also at times been stuck in 30+ minute passport control lines at AMS when coming off my US-originating flights there and trying to make a connection to other Schengen countries. That time comes out of my quick lounge use and/or shower time.


Originally Posted by downinit (Post 34390745)
Are they allowing a non-status spouse/family member to use the priority lanes if they are on same flight as an Elite Plus passenger? Is this something that depends on who you ask (i.e. if you get denied, go to another priority queue??)

They seem to be generally going by the boarding pass when it’s not one E+ card per person.

wooootles Jul 2, 2022 10:48 pm

Just got here at Lounge 25. DTW-AMS-CPH, NS->S, not even a 20 min passport control line. Was longer last year in September.

edefran Jul 3, 2022 2:08 am


That is a big, fat, NO. Today in the queue to enter the priority paradise, a schiphol employee was stressing that: "Skypriority is only for you, not your family, we will send you away, so do not bother". If your BP does not show priority, business or anything else, then they will turn you away.
That's frustrating. I am loyal to a SkyTeam partner because of the convenience it provides me when I travel. Making my travel companion on my reservation wait in a 2-hour+ security line while I go through a separate security queue is an inconvenience.

mfkne Jul 3, 2022 2:31 am

What about travellers with infants (who cannot possibly have SkyPriority status, except if they're travelling in C)?

mpkz Jul 3, 2022 3:53 am


Originally Posted by watewate (Post 34390810)
I'm a *G flying out of AMS at least twice a week and I can confirm that the priority entrance behind the KLM counters is definitely open for *G passengers, and not just limited to SP or Privium members. But the 2 times that I tried to bring along a companion (with no status), the person visually checking the priority status on the boarding pass turned away the companion very firmly.

Another datapoint. 01/07/2022 Friday at 3 PM, I went up the priority security line and there were 2 passengers ahead of me. Cleared security in 3 minutes flat.

Print two copies of your own BP to show to the person downstairs? :) The machines should let partners through, right?

CyBeR Jul 3, 2022 4:23 am


Originally Posted by edefran (Post 34391812)
That's frustrating. I am loyal to a SkyTeam partner because of the convenience it provides me when I travel. Making my travel companion on my reservation wait in a 2-hour+ security line while I go through a separate security queue is an inconvenience.

It's an inconvenience, yes, and in normal situations you'd be let through without issue but when everything is melting down I think it's understandable and reasonable to limit the priority lines to only those to whom it actually applies. Otherwise you'll quickly find everyone in that line instead, and if everyone has priority, no one has priority.

Xandrios Jul 3, 2022 4:52 am


Originally Posted by mpkz (Post 34391957)
Print two copies of your own BP to show to the person downstairs? :) The machines should let partners through, right?

Sneaky sneaky. Not standing next to each other in line would likely make this work. Though, if caught, I don't know what kind of hell they may put you through - I'm guessing KMAR may be involved on the basis of the pax purposively trying to travel with invalid paperwork.

tourguide Jul 3, 2022 5:06 am


Originally Posted by edefran (Post 34391812)
That's frustrating. I am loyal to a SkyTeam partner because of the convenience it provides me when I travel. Making my travel companion on my reservation wait in a 2-hour+ security line while I go through a separate security queue is an inconvenience.

Yes, it is not nice to be separated from a travel companion on the same flight. You can use priority security and your travel companion can not. The nice thing is that when you are reunited after a few hours at the entrance of the lounge, you can guest your travel companion in and enjoy drinks together and hopefully get rid of these 'annoying' feelings.
But could you show me the perk that a travel companion lower than Gold can join you for priority security? Even if they are silver and have used SP check-in with you, that is where your ways to security separate. As far as i remember, this was always the case. Of course, before Corona, you could give it a try and if they were nice, they let your companion go with you at priority security.. But it was never a written perk (correct me if i am wrong). I have often not used the priority security, in order to stay with my companion. At that time, there were not the huge lines though, so it was not a big deal.
My advice: look for a frequent flyer program where you have all these perks for your travel companions included

Fabo.sk Jul 3, 2022 6:16 am


Originally Posted by tourguide (Post 34392057)
But could you show me the perk that a travel companion lower than Gold can join you for priority security? Even if they are silver and have used SP check-in with you, that is where your ways to security separate. As far as i remember, this was always the case. Of course, before Corona, you could give it a try and if they were nice, they let your companion go with you at priority security.. But it was never a written perk (correct me if i am wrong). I have often not used the priority security, in order to stay with my companion. At that time, there were not the huge lines though, so it was not a big deal.
My advice: look for a frequent flyer program where you have all these perks for your travel companions included

Some airlines/FFPs do have it. Not FB though.

Anyway by way of report, I'm flying today, departure in half an hour.

Arrived by train at ~11:45. There were people in Schiphol vests by the travelators from Plaza up to Dep1, but they didn't actually seem to be checking departure times. I went by elevator as I had my crappy big luggage with me (I'm hoping one of these days an airline will finally break the wheels right off and I'll get a new one on insurance).

SP check in zone had two levels of check. There was a snake from barriers in front, at the beginning, a Schiphol person was discussing something or another with a passenger, so I went past him. At the actual entrance to the check in zone, a KLM lady welcomed me in at sight of my FB page in mobile app.

Then I waited for a desk to open, <5 min.
Went out, the normally closed tensa barrier next to Privium gate at the back was open and staffed.

I went instead to try and look at Departures 1 security. Previous Friday it was empty, now there was a gaggle of staff and pax discussing who set who where and where should they go and will they miss the flight. I was let through at sight of my Privium card.

​​​​​Upstairs, there were about 6 people in front of me before the belt. Almost no bags to secondary either.
The bottleneck was at the body scanner. Almost every single person there went for the secondary check. Occasionally, the staffers at the body scanner would show the tray guy something completely obvious that he should not have let pass (like a jacket or so), he just shrugged in a "I don't know and I don't care" manner. Seasonal new hire, I think.
All in all, about 10 minutes to get through. Good option for Privium.

Then I took a left and went to NS (e-gates open, short wait). Lunch in Privium today Italian themed, very good lasagne on offer. Most full I've ever seen this lounge to be - that is, about half full.

In hopes for a proper, manual machine coffee, I also went to Crown lounge 52. Unfortunately, the coffee machines were already turned off. The automatic one wasn't that bad anyway. Other than that, things pretty much as usual. I didn't bother to check the food offer, the drinks offer downstairs same as ever, short wait in line. Before leaving, went to check Blue.

Restaurant side "currently closed".
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...95b6d063e8.jpg

Bar side open 7 to 1. I was there closer to 2, the staff were finishing cleaning up, but there was a healthy number of patrons, including on the terrace.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...62cae8a628.jpg


On the way, neither NS>S nor S>NS transit controls were overly full, about 3/4s of the snake worth. E-gates were open only into Schengen.
​​​​​​
I have lucked out today, unlike last couple of weeks, my flight is on time. At least it boards on time anyway.
​​​​​


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