I arrived on a badly delayed BA flight from Heathrow last night – around 10pm. Amsterdam’s airport is currently undergoing renovations (which airport isn’t?), and so the immigration area in the middle part of the airport is closed. The email explaining this said that the Lounge 1 arrivals would be open.
It isn’t in the evening.
This means that you have to walk from your arriving gate – following the red route above – all the way around the airport to Arrivals 3. You clear immigration here. This is a 10-15 minute walk.
But, BA still delivers its bags in Lounge 1, so you have to walk back to Belt 2, at the opposite end of the airport. Close to where you started.
Of course, Arrivals in Lounge 1 doesn’t have an open Customs desk, so you then have to walk back to the Customs service in Lounge 3 – so literally, three times around the airport before you get to leave.
Madness.
Is it because the airport management didn’t accomodate passenger on late arrival? Or is it because BA cannot provide sufficient ground service to its passengers?
But you arrive somewhere flying BA!!! Its a breakthrough!!!!
@James – I suspect it’s Dutch authorities saving money and not caring about passengers.
Can you enlighten us (me and the rest of readers) your line of thinking to arrive at such conclusion?
@James – well if it wasn’t wouldn’t they have the immigration offices all staffed whilst there are flights arriving?
I don’t know. That’s why I ask. Thanks for the response.
Tough it might be different if BA ground crew communicated the “badly delayed” and request an immigration to be still opened in arrival 1 or request ATC for the plane to be parked in or near arrival 3. Maybe needs an extra fee from BA or maybe they can argue as a ‘force majeur’ thing. Who knows?
Then again, you arrive at your destination while others stranded and separated with luggage is really a miracle. Congrats on your arrival!!!
You would have thought BA could have arranged for the bags to be sent to a more appropriate luggage belt.
Thanks for sharing. Alastair Majury