V-Flyer

Hi, I am looking at flights for our holidays this summer from MAN to ATL & onwards. The price is coming in a lot cheaper if we RETURN via AMS. (All on the same ticket). My questions are -

1. What is the procedure for transiting/connecting in AMS. (Collecting bags/customs/passport control/possible terminal change/security etc)
2. How much connection time do I need to allow.

VS 109/DL 2826
Returning
DL 2029/DL70/KLM1071
Booking through Virgin

Many thanks in anticipation chocksaway

chocksaway wrote:Hi, I am looking at flights for our holidays this summer from MAN to ATL & onwards. The price is coming in a lot cheaper if we RETURN via AMS. (All on the same ticket). My questions are -

1. What is the procedure for transiting/connecting in AMS. (Collecting bags/customs/passport control/possible terminal change/security etc)
2. How much connection time do I need to allow.

VS 109/DL 2826
Returning
DL 2029/DL70/KLM1071
Booking through Virgin

Many thanks in anticipation chocksaway

Here is a site with a map and information that may help.

It's all physically one terminal and straightforward to navigate. think DL have what amounts to a dedicated security area for passengers arriving into the terminal for transfer. You may then need to go through additional security for your flight to London as it's ex Schengen, but I think that's dedicated again.

Security queues are a bit of a lottery. In the past year I've been through in as little as a minute, but on occasion as much as 60 minutes,

Thankyou very much for your reply pjh, that website was most helpful. So I take it that my bags will be checked through straight to MAN from the States & I wont have to clear any customs & recheck bags in AMS? Also would I be ok with a 2 hour connection time in AMS?

Thankyou chocksaway

chocksaway wrote:Thankyou very much for your reply pjh, that website was most helpful. So I take it that my bags will be checked through straight to MAN from the States & I wont have to clear any customs & recheck bags in AMS? Also would I be ok with a 2 hour connection time in AMS?

Never having done it myself I hesitate to give an opinion but;

- if the flights are a single ticket from DL then it should be possible as I think they will only sell the connections that can be made
- if I search t'internet I can see KLM saying that an hour is what they allow and other postings from travelers that suggest two hours is well enough, particularly as you are flying in from and out to countries that are non Schengen and have approved security measures at airports.

Thankyou again pjh. Very helpful information.

I've never had a problem with AMS. Easier than many

I've connected at AMS before off a KLM long-haul flight onto one of their short-haul flights (and vice versa). Dead easy really - you just step off one flight and go to the other once it's ready to board. Can't say I've noticed long security queues, but I notice that at Schiphol some of the KLM gates do the security check (i.e. X-Ray and metal detector) at individual gates, but as that was several years ago I'm not sure if it's changed.

If there's any problems, there's Transfer Desks dotted about the airport where there's self-service PC's and a member of staff on hand to assist. Useful if you miss your flight, want to change seat, book an all-new seat etc.

Thanks everyone for your comments. Much appreciated.

at least in the non-schengen area i'm sure the old scan at the gate system is all gone now, i've not had it for a few years

the layout is hub and spoke, the transfer desks usually near the hub end, worst case you arrive at the end of a spoke, walk (there are also moving walkways) to the transfer desk and then walk all the way to the end of a spoke for the next flight

on a delayed klm inbound a couple of weeks ago i heard the cc telling a couple with a short connection (for klm to asia) that even 15 minutes would enough for them to make it (and they'd have much more anyway), not sure that'd work with hold baggage though! two hours is loads of time

you'll arrive/depart within the non-schengen zone, departures/arrivals aren't segregated so when you get off the plane make sure you head for the hub as you may see people passing you in both directions!

Thankyou sungod. Most helpful.