Do NOT travel from or through Schiphol!

[aa388]

KLM has closed new ticket sales from Schipol until Monday. They’ve realised they don’t have enough security people to cope.


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[KavKav]

Pay security checked staff minimum wages for highly antisocial minimum hours, fire them at the drop of a hat and then wonder why they are not clamouring to come back when they are urgently needed, what sort of crap management is that?

Never mind though, being short staffed means that the bloody inconvenient ‘customers’ can turn up at silly-o’clock and just queue all the way around the airport and spend part of their day waiting on the off-chance they MAY get on their booked flight!

Well, stuff that for a game, I am going nowhere near a bloody airport in the foreseeable and I am entirely happy about it!

[Middo]

Well due to the ongoing shambles of Manchester airport operations. We are delayed in Spain. I better not miss the match.

[mtagrant]

Turned up really early at Heathrow Terminal 5 just in case and was through in about 1/2 hour. All smooth so far

[mjc1216]

Well due to the ongoing shambles of Manchester airport operations. We are delayed in Spain. I better not miss the match.

Should be fine the big match of the day between Mansfield and Port Vale only kicks off at 4

[Robsmck]

Travelling through schipol on Friday. With three kids. The eldest being ten. Praying it's not as bed as some have seen it.

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[rdesouza]

Did it 2.5 weeks ago. All fine. No issues

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[junglebert]

Has anyone been through in then last couple of days? Mrs Bert is supposed to be flying through on Tuesday, on her way to Hannover, she’s quite stressed about it.

[mjc1216]

I arrive tomorrow and fly back Saturday.

KLM are saying around 2.5 hours to get through security but will vary day to day.

[tixntox]

Easyjet and Tui letting lots of folks down at the moment. One flight cancelled after boarding passengers and sitting on the runway!!! Ridiculous state of affairs.

[junglebert]

I arrive tomorrow and fly back Saturday.

KLM are saying around 2.5 hours to get through security but will vary day to day.

Cheers, Jo is flying Tuesday, with about an hour to change flights at Schiphol, normally it’d be easy enough, but it’s not looking like she’ll make it.

[Raffe]

[reecie]

So my son is back from Amsterdam. Said it was really packed with people like Oxford Street on a busy Saturday. Took 90 min at Schipol to get through security not withstanding 20 mins in the wrong queue. Seems like the EU queue (he was initially in) was much longer....

[Christian]

I travelled through Dublin today. It was horrendous. Fortunately my flight was later in the day but earlier on, people had been arriving over three hours before their flight (bearing in mind you can't arrive earlier as bag drop wont be open), queuing for security from outside the terminal building and still not making their flight. Even at 7pm, I've never seen an airport so backed up and full of people. They had a zig-zag queue through the entire departures hall to the door.

In the end, I was delayed over 2 hours because of the delays the aircraft had encountered on previous legs. Gatwick had no ground staff to offload the jet so we sat on it for about 30 minutes before getting off.

[Bowen]

Has anyone had any experience of Luton Airport this week?

[wileeeeeey]

No, but I’ll do almost anything to avoid Luton in general when flying. What a god-awful place to have to suffer let alone come home to.

The smell as you come out to where the coaches are parked is absolutely disgusting.

[Bowen]

No, but I’ll do almost anything to avoid Luton in general when flying. What a god-awful place to have to suffer let alone come home to.

The smell as you come out to where the coaches are parked is absolutely disgusting.

I hope your opinion is shared by the masses to keep the volume of users down!

[Peck]

Meh as far as airports go Luton is absolutely fine. I live 20 minutes up the road and have never had a problem going in and out of there quickly. I can’t deny it’s a bit of a dump mind you!

[thieuster]

To add to the trouble on Schiphol: luggage handlers and security will be on strike on June 1. Trouble will also include transfers. Stay away!

[johny]

Pal is returning to Schiphol today. He is flying from Glasgow. Last message from him stated that the plane had missed its take off slot and would be delayed for at least an hour and a half. He is flying from Glasgow.

Update 15.31..... He is still on the plane waiting to take off. Flight was due to take off at 13.30 UK time.

And finally ....... Airborne at 16.11.

[Templogin]

Is this situation, across all airports, purely due to security staff shortages?

[Robsmck]

To add to the trouble on Schiphol: luggage handlers and security will be on strike on June 1. Trouble will also include transfers. Stay away!

Flying from Schiphol on Friday. FX

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[thieuster]

Carry-on luggage makes things easier. Checking in via internet helps as well.

But, things go wrong big time.
- People tend to come earlier. Once inside they find out that the check-in desk/luggage drop-off hasn’t opened yet. These people still work with the 3-hr-in-advance rule… As said, carry-on helps. But there’s more…
- You might have skipped the first hurdle, then there’s security. Before 7AM only 2 out of 9 lines work. After 7AM the others open. But there’s already a line!!! Even a large supermarket has more cash registers! And that has nothing to do with the number of people working there. It’s all to small, narrow.

The centralised way of security is a hurdle since Schiphol removed security from the various gate(s) entrances to the current security hub upstairs.

Then boarding: most PA systems near the gates fail. You can’t hear what’s announced: who’s turn it is to board, who’s asked for an extra security check (me, always). Etc.

At the same time, there are not enough luggage handlers loading the planes… There are pics of flightcrew members loading the planes!!!

Finally, the truck drivers who have to push back the planes… another shortage.

And when you return, the belt for your suitcase is another item that can be the cause of a lot waiting time.

As said, stay away from Schiphol!

[Tuna1138]

Thanks for this post/heads up, we are going to Italy mid July and had booked to go from our local airport and via Schiphol.
Flight times would only give us 1Hr 30 mins transfer time. I know it's a few weeks away but don't like the thought of being stressed/stranded at the airport so have cancelled and rebooked flights from an alternative airport which means a 3 hour drive and overnight stay before but at least we are flying direct now.


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[Casper]

Just got back from Malaga. Flew from London City with BA. No queues whatsoever.

[Christian]

Is this situation, across all airports, purely due to security staff shortages?

It’s pot luck but travelling outside of peak times (school holidays, early morning departures) and from smaller airports minimises your risk.

When the pandemic hit, the airline and airport industry got rid of masses amounts of staff. For example, I was employed by a major airline and about 5-months into the pandemic was sacked along with thousands of colleagues, not even put on furlough. Same happened with airports. Problem is, when the pandemic stopped activity, normal businesses lose money like a minor paper cut compared to aviation which hemorrages cash like getting a leg chopped off. They acted in extreme ways to survive. Now there isn’t enough cabin crew, ground handlers, check in desk workers and security to meet this post pandemic bow wave of demand. Lack of security is the issue where you see the huge queues and people missing flights. Lack of crew result in flights being cancelled. And the lack of ground staff (baggage handlers, see-in crew) mean delays that end up with huge knock on effects to the operation (ie travel later in the day and expect delays). Combine the shortages in all areas and there is the chaos we see at the moment.

I’m also a bit suspicious the industry isn’t being guarded about the economic situation and demand moving into next year hence trying to ride out the situation a bit rather than completely solve.

There has also been some pretty shady treatment of staff during the pandemic from the industry…like sacking staff then rehiring on much worse contracts. I’m not surprised there’s talk of strikes looming too.

[thieuster]

Thanks for this post/heads up, we are going to Italy mid July and had booked to go from our local airport and via Schiphol.
Flight times would only give us 1Hr 30 mins transfer time. I know it's a few weeks away but don't like the thought of being stressed/stranded at the airport so have cancelled and rebooked flights from an alternative airport which means a 3 hour drive and overnight stay before but at least we are flying direct now.


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Wise plan. Currently, 1hr30 is very close for transfer. I would have done the same: rebooked.

All we have to do now is returning from the US. After that, We have no plans for a next flight; business or pleasure. But we’ll certainly avoid Schiphol.

[blackal]

Wise plan. Currently, 1hr30 is very close for transfer. I would have done the same: rebooked.

All we have to do now is returning from the US. After that, We have no plans for a next flight; business or pleasure. But we’ll certainly avoid Schiphol.

To be frank - I would never chance 1hr30 in normal times. The number of times that a transfer time has been eroded by:

1) delays departing UK
2) arrival at a remote parking bay and relying on bus to the terminal proper.

It sure pisses on your chips to miss the connecting flight on your hols !

[markrlondon]

When the pandemic hit, the airline and airport industry got rid of masses amounts of staff. For example, I was employed by a major airline [...]

Thanks for this. A very enlightening post.

[thieuster]

Next on the list with problems: Duesseldorf Airport. Very popular among Dutch travellers, especially those who - like we - live more than an hour’s drive from Schiphol.

Security was always done by a branch of the local police. And recently ‘off-shored’. The privately owned security company can not find enough people for the job…

[chrisparker]

We managed to escape Manchester Terminal 1 yesterday afternoon. What a crap airport that is.

Meet & Greet parking chaos because someone had parked in the entrance lane, got on a flight taking their car keys, blocking any more cars from entering. No staff to move other cars out the way. One staff member in the kiosk, without a minute to meet or greet.

Inside the terminal Easyjet have skeleton staff, check in and bag drop without human interaction.

Not enough people to direct the queues, security staff tell you to go to point A, when you get there they tell you to go back to B.

EasyJet email customers telling them to arrive at least 3 hours before departure, security tell people (after getting to the end of a very long queue), to go back to the check-in hall and queue again no earlier than 3 hours.

Food queues and waiting times, over an hour long. When we did get sat down, food arrived and the screen showed our flight was boarding. Shovelled down what we could and went to the gate, only to stand around for another hour.

Finally boarded to sit on the tarmac for another hour until clearing for take off.

We’re hearing police we’re called in to deal with customers today. It’s a shambles.

I’m not looking forward to the return journey one bit.

[Robsmck]

To be fair my journey from Dublin to Schiphol was fuss free and on time. Around one hour from parking to through security, although the trick was to get to the first pick up point in the long term car park, and no dramas throughout. FX for the return journey tho.

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[blackal]

Long delays before getting through security, followed by increased time before getting onto the aircraft = more time in bar in a bad mood = air-rage for a lot of people..............

Not for me!

[guinea]

There has also been some pretty shady treatment of staff during the pandemic from the industry…like sacking staff then rehiring on much worse contracts. I’m not surprised there’s talk of strikes looming too.

It's pretty obvious that working in travel is hard right now. If you've not been fired you're doing the work of those that were.

Travel simply isn't a secure employment industry right now, and if I was looking at which sector would most likely help me pay my mortgage you can be sure which one I'd be avoiding.

[blackal]

Police supporting TUI ground staff.................

https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=551292086702124

[junglebert]

Mrs Bert missed her connection to Hannover at Schiphol last night by a matter of minutes, so was told to come back this morning at 6:30 for a 9:30 flight and to expect long delays. She was through security in 30 minutes.

[Passenger]

Police supporting TUI ground staff.................

https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=551292086702124

wacky, when did this nonsense become plod´s job.

[blackal]

wacky, when did this nonsense become plod´s job.

I guess they have experience of being called to deal with the result of the reps trying to explain and find this is an easier option.

Like the Policeman in Lochinver who used to run the drunks home when the pub closed - it was easier than getting called out later for any trouble or drink-driving crash.

[Passenger]

I guess they have experience of being called to deal with the result of the reps trying to explain and find this is an easier option.

Like the Policeman in Lochinver who used to run the drunks home when the pub closed - it was easier than getting called out later for any trouble or drink-driving crash.

I guess so...what a state of affairs.

[tixntox]

Tui Promise - Put "U" in the middle! Having spent two days in phone queues to get a refund at the start of the pandemic, my family do not believe a word of the Tui "promises"! Shocking customer service. Don't forget, that at the other end, there are hotels with staff to pay and empty rooms, along with their suppliers and public transporters etc.

[thieuster]

Back in the Netherlands. And I've experienced the chaos of Amsterdam Airport.

We flew in from New York; it took off an hour late, but the crew in the cockpit managed to reduce the lost time to only 15 mins. That was until we were put on a side lane because there were no termanals... 10 mins waiting and the plane 'docked' on a terminal.

The plane was half empty; a lot of people, the majority, needed a transfer to another plane. Only 1(!) Schiphol employee was ready to guide all those transfer-travellers to the correct spot... We walked with our carry-on luggage towards the customs' hall. For those who've been on Schiphol: that's down the stairs, through the one-way doors into the hall. At the top of the stairs was a long queue of people. One single security employee had blocked the stairs and let no-one through. But we couldn't figure out why. So I walked up to the front of the queue and asked "What's going on!?" in Dutch. He replied: "Oh you're Dutch, you can walk on!" and opened the stairs for us. Then he shouted: "All with a EU passport can come through!" Downstairs, a agitated lady shouted (in English): "You shouldn't be here!" We replied in Dutch that her colleague had let us through. She ordered us to the self scan on the left. There was indeed a queue waiting to be checked by customs, but by no means a long queue. And according to my wife, there had been longer queues in the past when she returned from an intercontinental flight.

Our guess was (is) that two over-achieving employees were trying to an act in 'crowd control'. It didn't look very professional (to put it nice...)

Next stop: the luggage belts. 'Havoc' is a good word. It looked like the situation when you lift a stone from the patio and find an ants' nest under it. But, with only our carry-on luggage we steamed straight ahead to the next customs' desk: 'Any good to declare yes/no?' Again a queue at the 'no' station. Don't ask me why. The sliding doors were closed. No customs officer in sight. Only after a few minutes and a growing queue behind us, the doors opened.

It's a mess. Dutch customs is divided into two branches who have nothing in common. People control is part of the Dutch Military Police and Customs is part of the Department of Tax and Excise (hence the different uniforms). But this was amateurism.

To compare: when we arrived at Boston Logan last Wednesday, the whole procedure to get into the USA, with the 'difficult' TSA officers went a lot smoother, quicker than today.

On the good part: around 9:45 AM, there was no queue of people wanting to catch a flight!

[Christian]

To compare: when we arrived at Boston Logan last Wednesday, the whole procedure to get into the USA, with the 'difficult' TSA officers went a lot smoother, quicker than today.

Reason for that is that the US kept their aviation going during the pandemic. In fact I know of dual-national colleagues that were actually recruited during the pandemic. I guess internal aviation is a necessity when your country is as large as the US. Whereas in Europe, countries ended up imposing their own travel restrictions and competing with neighbours who could have the 'better' COVID statistics, almost playing a blame game for generating new variants. And the public lapped it up at the time...airports and aircraft were painted out to be the disgusting breeding ground of the virus. Now the public want to travel again, everyone's complaining at the situation.

[thieuster]

Reason for that is that the US kept their aviation going during the pandemic. In fact I know of dual-national colleagues that were actually recruited during the pandemic. I guess internal aviation is a necessity when your country is as large as the US. Whereas in Europe, countries ended up imposing their own travel restrictions and competing with neighbours who could have the 'better' COVID statistics, almost playing a blame game for generating new variants. And the public lapped it up at the time...airports and aircraft were painted out to be the disgusting breeding ground of the virus. Now the public want to travel again, everyone's complaining at the situation.

That's an interesting point and I wouldn't be surprised when you're right! Traveling (waiting lines) form JFK to Amsterdam was nothing more or less than pre-Covid travels according to my wife who was a already a frequent flyer to the US before Covid. She and the Uber driver discussed the fact that traffic to JFK during the day has become a lot worse. According to the Uber driver because no-one in NY wants to travel by Subway anymore: people with no vaccination and the crime rate there, is way, way up according to him. Hence: more cars on the road.

[chrisparker]

Now the public want to travel again, everyone's complaining at the situation.

Public are complaining because most booked holidays a year ago, so it should come as no surprise that they were going to want a pilot for their flight.

TUI leaving customers onboard aircraft for hours on the tarmac, only to be told by police to disembark is frankly disgraceful.

[Christian]

TUI leaving customers onboard aircraft for hours on the tarmac, only to be told by police to disembark is frankly disgraceful.

I don't know that exact story...I think thats the one where the pilot phoned the police after 3 hours stuck on the aircraft? I'd doubt TUI employ their own ground handlers. That'll be a contract with an airport handler like swissport or menzies. With nobody to put a jet bridge or airstairs to the aircraft, you'd have to deploy the slides and let passengers run across the dispersal if you wanted to let them off. As crew you are at the mercy of airport/ATC as much as pax are.

Pilots are also generally not the limitation here...it's security, ground handlers, check-in desk staff and cabin crew that they are finding it hard to re-recruit. All the lower paid jobs nobody really is jumping to do in the current climate.

BA were burning through £150,000,000 per week when we had travel restrictions, so I'm not surprised we are in the situation where recruitment has lagged demand in the aviation industry.

I totally agree it's a sh*t show but I think it's also nuts that Shapps and co are trying to entirely pass the buck...but thats one for the BP!

[Puntsdog]

Sittingbourne Schiphol now waiting for my connecting flight. No probs heading out on the first leg from my tiny provincial airport!

Passport control in Schiphol was busy but well managed and took 30 minutes to navigate.

The staff seemed to have things under control with an extra line for non-EU passports available for those who were running late to meet onward flights. They called forward anybody in this position in 15 minute increments so it is clear they are taking this seriously and dealing with it well.

- - - Updated - - -

Should read sitting in Schiphol not Sittingbourne- that would have been a different result!

[Wolfie]

Sittingbourne Schiphol now waiting for my connecting flight. No probs heading out on the first leg from my tiny provincial airport!

Passport control in Schiphol was busy but well managed and took 30 minutes to navigate.

The staff seemed to have things under control with an extra line for non-EU passports available for those who were running late to meet onward flights. They called forward anybody in this position in 15 minute increments so it is clear they are taking this seriously and dealing with it well.

- - - Updated - - -

Should read sitting in Schiphol not Sittingbourne- that would have been a different result!

I was thinking, does Sittingbourne have a tiny provincial airport that files in Schipol???

[junglebert]

Coming back through Schiphol from Hannover at 6:30AM today mrs Bert couldn’t have been quicker, made the connection with ease, I suppose
The backlogs hadn’t had chance to build up at that time.

[dougair]

No issues at Gatwick today. No queue at baggage claim or passport control at 3pm. Flew to Malta last Friday and that was the same, super smooth. Although departures was busy and there were long waits to eat in the restaurants so we are at pret.

Don’t get me started on the appalling on board service of BA though!

[AP1]

My experience of Heathrow T3 recently wasn’t too bad in either direction. Took 30mins to get bags checked in and waited a fair while for them to appear after the return flight but given the situation at the moment it was better than expected.