Connection AMS any advice please?
 

Monday 7 Aug
KLM DUB17:25 AMS 1950 AMS20:35 FRA21:45
Connection time only 45 mins any thoughts? Have to be in FRA for work early Tuesday. On flight over delay leaving AMS was 20 mins and there were long lines at passport control. Connection time in way over was 1.5 hours but at that I only had 10 mins to spare.
Ticket booked on KLM. No change in booking allowed. No refund.
If connection missed what are the options? Would KLM have to pick up tab for meals, accommododation, compensation?
thanks to all on Pprune for any advice /opinions.

If you are booked in a through ticket with KLM then they are responsible as they sold it you as a feasible option.

With so many direct flights from DUB to FRA why connect?

You're leaving Dublin at a very busy time of the day on maybe the busiest day of the year on a plane that could be late from earlier flights. Amsterdam is one of the airports noted as having serious issues at passport control.

As noted KLM are responsible for everything but imho it's a 50/50 shot you make the transfer. You need everything in your favour and even then it'll be a stretch. We're in new territory here that KLM probably didn't factor in when they sold you the connection.

I'd be looking at what time the first KLM to FRA is on Tuesday and notifying work accordingly.

Expertflyer lists the first leg with only 61% on-time reliability and the second to FRA with 68% and both with 22min average delay.
MCT is listed with 40 minutes.

KLM will take the tap anyway if on one PNR.

Strechted chances, wish you will make it.

First flight AMS/FRA on KL on the 8th is KL1736 leaving at 8:20, in FRA at 9:30 on good inventory availability.

Dublin is a nasty place for delays, you may push on time but 30 mins from that to airborne not uncommon, do not know if klm factor that into trip time.

Don't know if they still do it, but last time I had a tight transfer at AMS I found that the Express lane (or whatever they call it) was available to pax with short connections subject to verification by a ground staff employee.

Mention it to the cabin crew and they may put you upfront prior to landing so you can get off first. Is there passport control between two EU countries or do you just go straight to the gate on arrival in AMS ? If so, see if you can get fast track immigration.

This is non-Schengen to Schengen so passport control necessary at AMS. Pity the Irish didn't invest in EU preclearance at DUB with many more seats a day, than US preclearance.

I believe there is a fast track, ask for it.

What has Muscat got to do with this?

In this case MCT is 'Minimum Connecting Time'.

Thanks everyone for all your help.

Based on your replies I booked a o/w with Aer Lingus on Monday at 17:10 for €105.

Prior to booking with EI, I Phoned KLM. Only offer was a refund of €39 tax. Must claim after flight has departed and takes 6 weeks. (In this case they don't sell my seat! To someone else who might need it)

They say their min connection time is 40 mins and I have 45. I did mention passport control and the fact flights are delayed. I mentioned the KLM booking engine offered the flights, which seems a bit crazy. No change No refund permitted was the reply. I mentioned if connection was missed then they would have additional costs for accommodation etc and asked them to offer me al alternative but they were not obliging.

Thanks for all your help once again. I really appreciate it and you have saved me a lot of time.

Sober Lark.

I wouldn't drop it. Write a very nice letter to the CEO (who probably won't read it) telling him how much you like using KLM and how they are always very good. In this case they have disappointed you etc. etc. etc.

Do not say you will never fly with them again, instead say you would like to continue to fly with them but this experience has put you off.

etc. etc.

The guy on the end of the phone has no authority to do anything. Senior bods do.

The current connecting times were set before all the changes and there will be thousands of pax in the same situation. The agent on the phone or at the desk has zero authority to change anything outside of the rules. It's a problem that has been well documented across the last 20 + years and often in this forum.

45 minutes at ZRH, even with passport control - no problem, bags make it too.

You can't get from one end of AMS to the other in 45 minutes.

Said tongue in cheek I hope ;) With no delay it takes about 20 minutes. 30 if you're a slow walker.

crap. I am getting a bad feeling here. Flying KLM from LHR - AMS - JNB with just 1 hr 15 mins transfer. I checked with KLM and they said no problem.

Flying out on a Sunday from LHR at 0630, departing AMS at 1015.:uhoh:

The minimum actual connection time is about 30 minutes but that cannot be purchased. The scheduled flight time has plenty of fat in it. Your position in the aircraft does not affect your connection. If you are listed to make your connection you will almost certainly do so, even if you are the last off on the second bus you will still make your connection. You will be dropped off at Gate D5, very close to the centre of the airport. Connections are regulated by the aircraft's actual arrival time. If you arrive late but are listed as a "Short connection" this means you can use the "Short Connection Lane" at passport control. But if it all goes 'tits up' KLM pick up the tab. On most days, most people (overall very late 90%'s) make their connections otherwise KLM wouldn't exist.

All of which also applies in FRA yet out of 10 connections with LH (with a minimum of 55 mins and a max of 1hr 15 between flights) I've missed 2 because of late arrival of inbound from DUB. You are also talking about basically the busiest day of the year in DUB right in the middle of the last flow out of the airport for the evening. KLM list the flight time as 1hr 25min. That's not building in much, if any, delay time in. EI list at 1hr 40min.

If the OP absolutely has to be in Frankfurt on Tuesday morning that's not a risk you take IMHO.

I'm still curious as to why the original splitting the flight in two, not that it's any of my business. But there would want to have been a huge difference in fare to tempt me to split what is basically a two hour flight in two.

Maybe looking on departure time.

I did several EW HAM-MAN/MAN-DUS-HAM because MAN-HAM arrives so late and very close to the last favourable train home.

You are non-Schengen to non-Schengen. No passport control for you.

Tripadvisor has some tips here. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g....Schiphol.html
But I believe there are additional Security checks for US flights (and others??) at the gatw