Self-Boarding at AMS for Schengen e-ticket Pax?
 

I noticed this after checking in far too early, and wandering round the terminal passing time. On C pier, a number of the gates have a lane marked 'self-boarding' (or words to that effect). The idea is, if you're on an e-ticket (and so have no counterpart to the BP), and travelling intra-Schengen, you can board the aircraft simply by inserting your BP into a machine, walking through the now-open gates, and taking your stub.

Not sure how successful this has been, seeing as everywhere it was in operation, there was a member of ground staff helping people with it, kind of defeating the purpose...

Anyway... Has anyone used this? Or even seen any publicity for it?

No, I have not.

How does this work if you have printed your own boarding card online? Are you expected to use the barcode scanner? How is the process supervised, i.e. how do they prevent people without a boarding card from sneaking on board? What happens if the boading card is rejected by the scanner, as happens when your seat assignment has been changed, you have been upgraded or your ID needs to be confirmed?

johan

I suppose that if it get rejected, you need to go back to the manned lane (or the desk)

Based on my experience checking in way to early at AMS, I learned that the self-check in was for Privium members (subscription based service for individuals holding an EU passport). Privium members, in addition to running their boarding pass through also submit to a retinal scan.

Is what you are describing something other than the line for Privium members?

Privium members can bypass immigrations, and use priority lanes at the security checkpoints, but Stut is referring to the the boarding process at the gate.

johan

Welcome to the all new fly yourself class from KLM. Not only will you be responsible for printing your own tickets, you will now board yourself and have the privilage of paying even more for your tickets. We take low cost carrier with high price tickets to an all time new level.

Those of you who bring your own food and drinks on board will now be able to sell these to other passengers at a premium rate. However due to our new 4 x 4 cabin configuration it will be important to understand that it can be a risky business throwing sandwiches 10 rows back when travelling at over 800 kmph.

Our new E.S.Y. O.P - European Select Your - Own Plane class will allow you to fly yourself from A to B knowing that all those peasants in Y class 5 x 5 seats are pedalling away at 22000 feet maintaining your cruising altitude.

Please be sure to take all your rubbish with you so the next passengers dont slip on the bananna skins. :D :rolleyes: :) :) :p :mad:

Indeed, it is not Privium (which I recently signed up for and absolutely love), but exactly as johan rebel describes. From what I saw, it was completely supervised, as in they had a member of staff putting the BPs through the machine for you...

This is all through observation, though, as I gave up flying KLM for the new year. However, I have an LH flight ex-AMS next week, and will look out for them then.

LH has these in MUC for ages, and there they work pretty well. You just put your boarding-pass into the machine and go through the turnstile, with usually no line at all. These are right next to a manned boarding-point, so if there are problems, someone comes over to assist you.

Especially as many people still do not use eTickets or are simply not aware of these additional points of boarding, you will usually have no line there...

Greetings - Dirk

Having the pleasure of boarding at C18 this morning, I carefully checked all the gates en route. No sign of self-service boarding anywhere. The agents at my gate had never heard of priority boarding either, although somebody had managed to turn the sign around to make sure that nobody could read it.

johan

Priority boarding is never available to or from MAN AMS