London Luton

Well the whole outbound journey, including both the departing process at the London airport and also the Amsterdam Schipol arrival, was the best ever in all the years I’ve been to Amsterdam!!! You couldn’t make it up lol

Will update in more detail later.

So, it’s not all doom and gloom! I arrived at Schipol today mid morning and had the quickest landing journey ever in the countless trips I’ve made to Amsterdam. There was literally no queue at passport control and I was in and out 15 minutes after landing - honestly can’t ever remember there being no queue. There was also minimal queue in the ‘EU’ lanes (I was in ‘other’ lanes as UK is no longer EU).

Also, for our UK residents, the efficiency at Luton airport was the best I’ve ever experienced at what is quite a busy time (weekend in summer). I arrived 3 hours before my flight but made it through security in around 30 minutes (there have been reports of security queues in London, hence I arrived very early). Had a long leisurely breakfast after and still had 45 mins until the gate was announced. The flight wasn’t 100% full and I had all 3 seats to myself - again can’t remember ever getting a flight to Amsterdam on a weekend and the flight not being full. Not sure what the reason is, I’ve been hearing reports that travel demand from the public is really high following 2 years of COVID restrictions.

I’ll leave it there - I fully appreciate the departure from Schipol is publicised as being the biggest problem and ball ache! Fingers crossed!

Flying into Schipol from America early this Saturday morning and leaving the following Monday (July 5) at 8am, do you think that is risky? I dont mind if the arrival flight gets cancelled or delayed since its a red eye from home, and I've only paid for a cheap hostel. The Mon morning flight is early enough where I should there be a last minute cancelation, I should be able to find an emergency indirect flight back to America.

I would not worry if you are flying in from the United States.

My guess is the cancellations were restricted to European countries because there are other options such as traveling by train.

Just to finish the travel update, my departure from Schipol was fine as well!

I had a late evening flight, and got to the airport 3h 45 mins before my flight; this turned out to be ridiculously early as i was through security in 45 minutes after entering the airport.

I was searching for the queue as soon as i got off the train and was amazed to be walking through the boarding pass scanning area as normal - recent pictures and videos have shown the queue stretching to outside the airport. When i got upstairs to the security lanes, the queue was slightly longer than normal (150 people?) but it was entirely confined to the area directly outside the security scanners - not downstairs, not outside the airport, nada!

Flight to London left on time and wasn't delayed or, even worse, cancelled.

Thinking about it at the time, it annoyed me that i had lost over 2 hours in amsterdam and spent it at the airport instead, but i wont complain too much because we all know the current situation when we book.

I wonder whether i got lucky or is the situation actually improving? (inclined to think the former because there weren't many security scanners open so staff shortages are probably still there)

There were steady streams of people just skipping the security queue altogether and just walking through a 'fast track' type of service (both disabled and regular passengers). Anyone know how you get access to that?

The people walking through are probably using GEOS, or Global Entry.
You fill out an online application, then you have to schedule an interview at a major airport.
It costs a couple hundred dollars. Reasonable if you fly monthly, but I just can't see paying that for 4-5 trips a year, and it was useless during COVID.

Weasel

Thanks. I found the Schipol equivalent of GEOS (GEOS is the US fast track membership).

The Schipol one is called 'privium' and costs between €155-€260 depending on the type of membership. As well as fast track through security, there are other benefits as well (e.g. airport lounge access and fast track hold baggage check-in).

https://www.schiphol.nl/en/privium/

The bad news is, as expected, they have suspended new memberships due to the problems at Schipol. They say they will review it on 15th July.

I have historically travelled to Amsterdam between 6-8 times a year, and if it enabled me to skip a long queue and gave me lounge access, i would get it for a couple of hundred euro's. However, before these problems, the Schipol security queue was always very small so not much queue jumping benefit - i have never waited more than 15 minutes (usually only 5-10).

Let's see what the situation is when they decide to re-open membership.

So what’s the best alternative to Schipol?Get the ferry or get train to a Belgium airport?

As expected, they have extended new membership closure until 1st September:

https://www.schiphol.nl/en/privium/

Okay finally going back after 2 and a half years.Flight has already been bumped 4 hours.I’m right in thinking all you need now is a covid pass.Looking forward to seeing the old places.

I normally go for 2 nights so flight being bumped by 4 hours would spoil a good chunk of my trip. Which airport are you flying from?

Manchester.Should get there 10ish so still time for a mooch.Im there all weekend.Pearl Jam concert on Sunday.

Not too bad then, have a nice trip. You just need proof of vaccines and declaration form:

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advic ... quirements

hopefully the concert is on for you. tour seems to be temporary on hold because of heat wave
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/musi ... e-1385894/