Giving you a heads up in case you are departing AMS airport over the next few months. It's been a **** show for a few months and only getting worse.

I'm supposed to fly home 8/2 and I really need to get home 8/2 as I have training on 8/3 I don't want to miss. Hoping my flight isn't one of the canceled ones.

https://loyaltylobby.com/2022/06/18/airlines-bumping-average-14000-passengers-daily-in-amsterdams-schiphol-july-august-2022/

It's everywhere

Yes, air travel is a total nightmare right now — here’s why https://t.co/0U8Ru5daco

— The Points Guy (@thepointsguy) June 21, 2022

We just went to Netherlands 2 weeks ago for a Holland canal cruise.
Flew Business class, those lines for Security at Schiphol were quick and easy when we left around 0800.
Customs was lucky, no lines, 5 minute wait when we arrived.

We did have to wait over an hour for luggage. The driver we had said people are spoiled by govt subsidies and don't want to come back to work.

The regular security lines were 90 minutes to 2 hours long. The airport advises to allow 3 hours.

Is there a good place that lays out what your rights to compensation are in what circumstances when your flight is cancelled or delayed significantly?

Went through there a couple weeks back as a connection and was worried. Was surprisingly good as went through automated customs in 2 minutes.

Now Manchester on the other hand, stay far far away from that hell hole. 2 hour security line and the ones left to do the job (felt bad for them) clearly didn't give 2 F's.

I work with someone who regularly travels through schippoll or however it is spelled and said he would rather shoot himself in the foot than go through that Airport these days.

Disappointed about Manchester airport. Always felt it was an easy back way into the UK as well as Europe.
Have been stuck in Amsterdam when Schipol was hacked with all the computers shut down. Of pleasant.

ktownag08 said:

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Went through there a couple weeks back as a connection and was worried. Was surprisingly good as went through automated customs in 2 minutes.

Now Manchester on the other hand, stay far far away from that hell hole. 2 hour security line and the ones left to do the job (felt bad for them) clearly didn't give 2 F's.

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I had clients who came home about the same time frame and also complained about how long it took to get through Manchester.

Got here about 3 hr 15 min before departure.

Check in for American was easy.

Currently waiting in line for security. They kinda ran out of room to put people waiting in line so they're snaking us all over the entry hall. Was a bit chaotic for a while but they've seemed to sort it out.

Currently been waiting about 25 minutes. A couple of jackasses in here but the overwhelming majority of people are in good spirits and taking it all in stride.

Made it through. We were able to go through the priority security line and from the time we got in the line for security until we got through passport control was about 1 hr 45 min. The walk to the gate was another 10-15 minutes or so.

Overall we were fine and pretty stress free. Had we gone through the economy security line we would've been worse off. Had we been flying KLM we would've been MUCH worse off; that check in area looked like a bit of a cluster.

Also when we got to the airport at 8:00 it wasn't THAT crowded and seemed to get busier as we were waiting in line.

I recommend at least 4 hours before flight time.

Nm

You guys have me nervous now.

I have a flight in the fall with KLM through Amsterdam, to Barcelona, with a 1 hour layover. They're both KLM flights so I would have to imagine the connection isn't impossible, but now I'm thinking bags might be an issue.

is this flight going to be the end of me?

Thoughts and prayers for going through Schengen immigration

We flew into Amsterdam from Zurich and it didn't seem very crazy on that side of security. If you're staying in the EU you don't have to recheck your bags, right?

I'm pretty green on international travel honestly. I guess since it's my port of entry, I will have to go through customs. If that's the case, how the heck does KLM schedule such a short connection?

Might be worth calling KLM customer service to ask about it.

We're flying to Greece in September and my only "current" concern is making our DFW->ATL connection. Have 1:50 before the flight to ATH so I'm nervous about that one.

agreed...thanks

Interesting

American Airlines pauses ticket sales from Amsterdam as chaos continues https://t.co/Z66SvifIig

— The Points Guy (@thepointsguy) June 30, 2022

My boss went through there last week and said it was like Disney World... right when you thought you were through the line, there was yet another room to snake back and forth in. Said he and his wife got there 4 hours early and still had to make a run for the gate.

Woof.

doesnt' Spain have a handful of airline industry strikes going on right now!?

I have no idea. My only hope is that this trip isn't until October so hopefully things get a little better by then.

I wouldn't imagine it's much fun to call KLM right now.

I flew in / out of schiphol in early June. Wait times were normal but I carryon to avoid baggage handlers. Took me maybe 30 mins to get through immigration on way in. Took me 45 mins from walking out of Hilton to exiting security/immigration. The security crew looked new but wasn't horrible. This was midweek, I would try to avoid weekends.

In 2018 we flew into AMS and had zero issues. On our return leg back to the states, we intentionally booked a hotel at the hotel adjacent to the airport. Got up 3 hours early and embarked on our way to the American gate. They had two flights, one to dfw and one to Philly, departing about fifteen minutes apart. We stood in line at the ticket counter for 3.5 hours and missed the dfw flight. More than half the flight missed it. About the only positive was they booked us on a delta flight 3 hours later to St. Paul and made it back without too much hassle. We contacted American customer service and in the EU if you are delayed more than 3 hours and it isn't weather related, you are entitled to compensation. We received either $600 or a full refund flight voucher for American.

Tldr- Schipol sucks, but flew to Europe for free.

Traveled through Amsterdam on my way to Croatia - no problems for me. A few missing luggage for other people in my group though.

This is from a travel agent from the same host company as I am. Posted today.


AMS Schiphol first hand account. We are flying out of AMS at 10:55 local time. Hearing all the issues we arrived at the airport exactly 4 hours before our flight. It was complete chaos, lines everywhere and nobody knew which line was which. First line was to verify you had a flight leaving within 4 hours before being allowed into the main airport area.

We waited in one line for about 10 minutes before finding out it was for United, and American Airlines had a much shorter line. We had to get in a line to print out paper boarding passes, then we were able to do the self tag bags, which was a shorter line than the main bag check. All told we finished checking our bags at 740, so 45 minutes for self tagged bags.

All security was filtered through a single line, and we completed security at 905, so 1:25 for security. Passport control they had self service for US citizens, which went quickly. We were through passport control by 920, so only 15 minutes. Then it was about a 10 minute walk to our gate.

All told, it took us just over 2.5 hours from arrival to gate. Definitely recommend getting to the airport exactly 4 hours before departure.

Nice to see an airline take charge to try and take care of its customers.

https://www.ruv.is/frett/2022/07/12/icelandair-sending-own-baggage-handlers-to-amsterdam?utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=website

Not sure if that link will work, but Icelander is sending two baggage handlers of many of its flights and using one of its planes to get baggage help where needed.

We flew through Amsterdam back in 2016, to Rome and back home from Florence. Flight to Rome was no issue. But coming back from Florence, we were on a small plane. We landed on the tarmac at Schipol with no jetway. A shuttle picked us up and took us all the way to the exterior of the airport…where friends/family drop of people for departures.

So, we had to go through security AGAIN! It was bad, even then. The security agents were moving super slow (seriously, I felt like I was in the DMV scene in Zootopia). Then we had to have our passports checked again. I was so upset/worried that we were going to miss our flight. One of the passport checkers saw my distress and took pity on us and waived us to the front of the line. We barely made our flight back to IAH.

Diggity said:

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I'm pretty green on international travel honestly. I guess since it's my port of entry, I will have to go through customs. If that's the case, how the heck does KLM schedule such a short connection?

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Granted, it's been a while, but I don't even remember going through customs at Schipol on our way to Rome. It was an overnight flight and we landed early morning, but whatever we did, entering was no issue. Just a very long walk from the gate where we landed to the one where our flight to Rome was.

But we had several hours to connect and weren't rushed.

yeah, it seems crazy that KLM would even have a flight with such a short turnaround if customs were required but I don't want to assume anything.

Just went through Schiopol on Tuesday. Took 3.5 hours and barely made the flight. Missed the connection (3hr layover) with BA in Heathrow. Kept us overnight. Showed up at 8:30am for a 1:30pm flight. Ran to the gate, barely made it. Missed connection in Miami on a 3 hour layover. Made it to DFW at 1 am. Still don't have our luggage. Would avoid right now. Google Heathrow and AMS.

Check out this nightmare going on with KLM / Schipol right now:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/klm-amsterdam-schiphol-airport-baggage/

Quote:

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After baggage systems at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) malfunctioned on Wednesday, KLM informed many of its customers on Thursday that they won't be able to check luggage on flights connecting through the airport.

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Comeby! said:

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Just went through Schiopol on Tuesday. Took 3.5 hours and barely made the flight. Missed the connection (3hr layover) with BA in Heathrow. Kept us overnight. Showed up at 8:30am for a 1:30pm flight. Ran to the gate, barely made it. Missed connection in Miami on a 3 hour layover. Made it to DFW at 1 am. Still don't have our luggage. Would avoid right now. Google Heathrow and AMS.

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What a cluster.

Would they let you get in line more than 4 hours at AMS? I read somewhere they won't. I want to get there plenty early.

JMac03 said:

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Comeby! said:

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Just went through Schiopol on Tuesday. Took 3.5 hours and barely made the flight. Missed the connection (3hr layover) with BA in Heathrow. Kept us overnight. Showed up at 8:30am for a 1:30pm flight. Ran to the gate, barely made it. Missed connection in Miami on a 3 hour layover. Made it to DFW at 1 am. Still don't have our luggage. Would avoid right now. Google Heathrow and AMS.

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What a cluster.

Would they let you get in line more than 4 hours at AMS? I read somewhere they won't. I want to get there plenty early.

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We read the same somewhere but no one was checking or cared. Our concierge at the hotel recommended 5 hours which I thought was BS but after going through it, if you really need to fly out, get there early.

I flew through AMS from IAH to Dubrovnik 2 weeks ago (7/14) with a 3 hour layover and again today from Zagreb through AMS to IAH with a 60 minute layover. All flights were KLM.

I saw no lines, no labor shortages, no technical difficulties. In fact, both layovers were about as smooth as I've had in a long while. The 7/14 layover even involved flights in different terminals (concourses) and customs, and it was still smooth as silk.

I'm a big fan of The Points Guy, so I don't want to say he's lying or anything, but I think he may be dipping his toes in the fearmongering waters for clickbait purposes or something.

Don't be afraid of AMS, it was way smoother than IAH.