AMS Inquisition
 

During the pre boarding process on UA 947 from AMS we experienced what seemed to be an unusual amount/type of questioning. This has never happened on trips to other European cities so I was wondering if this is something peculiar to AMS? After security, but before going to the secondary waiting area (and through a second Xray screening process), several security officers were stationed to examine our passports and boarding passes. We were asked many questions beyond the usual ones regarding who packed our baggage and whether anyone had asked us to carry something for them. We were required to produce our hotel receipt to PROVE how long we had been there and where we had stayed, and the security officer studied it carefully. He asked if I was a frequent flyer with "this airline" (information that's on the baording pass), and which level I was. To me, these are unusual questions for security - and they weren't sociable - he was quite stern throughout the interrogation. Is this usual for a departure out of AMS?

Since this is really about the security experience at AMS rather than about UA, I am moving to Travel Buzz.

cblaisd
Moderator
United

I know what you mean -- this may be an AMS thing. A year or two ago (not on UA) I faced similar questions, at which point I was asked for my frequent flyer card and a business card. The man disappeared from the podium with the cards for a minute or two, only to return to say I was "all set."

Expected behaviour in AMS. Smile & look them in the eye as as you answer their questions and all will be fine.

Good to know. We'll expect this next time and not feel so strange about it!

Note that this nonsense predates 9/11. It might have been inspried by Lockerbie and/or TWA 800. At FRA they grill you at check-in. From LHR I have found less questioning today than the late 1990s.

I always seem to get the intensive screening at Schiphol, particularly at the gate. On my last visit, I was asked a lot of unusual questions, had them hand search my carry-on, and then X-raying it twice.

Even more fun from US Customs when arriving from a trip to Amsterdam.

Damn right about that. What a nightmare it can be. I took a MR to AMS and got grilled by immigration and customs. Good luck on arrival from AMS!

As gnaget noted, I experienced that sort of nonsense pre-9/11. The worst I encountered back then was at ARN. I almost laughed when they asked me for hotel receipts :td:

Are the above instances all involving flights on US-flagged carriers?

Certain countries' flagged carriers seem to have the "grilling" routine far more "routinely". Pun intended. :D

Custom Agents and their sniffing dogs. :)

I have so much memorized their scripted quesitons I start to say Yes, or no before they even complete their sentence :o
That will give you a stare but they would let you go quick!
I think they should create different quesitions for different travelers depending on the frequency of the travel. It doe not add any value to the ask a frequent flyers who pass through the same airport 10 times a month the same long routine scripted security quesitions as a first-time flyer from Topeka, Kansas!

Nobody expects the Spanish Netherlands!
 

I have to add to this, at the risk of being flamed, that you were dealing (at AMS) with a bit of the Dutch national character.

I was once flying from AMS, where I was temporarily quartered, to YUL (destined for northern New England) just after the 1998 NW pilots' strike.

The security interviewer could not understand why, a Yankee as I, was flying to Montreal in order to reach the USA. (I booked on KL to YUL as opposed to NW to BOS due to the strike). She reacted with a stoic yet stiff suspicion.

(I guess those Europeans don't know their geography, huh? :D )

But asking for hotel receipts? Sheesh. I'll take the comfy chair!

If you observe the current situation in the Netherlands (http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/eu...aid/index.html or http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/eu...ker/index.html )

you might understand the heightened security measures at AMS....