Customs/Security Question at AMS + OSL

I answered at your other post: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/norway/information-on-customs-checkins-at

Don't cut your time short when checking in at Schiphol, they have the most arduous security I have ever encountered, very thorough and time-consuming--opening and rummaging through carry-ons and purses, removing items (cameras, electronics but not limited to that) for additional scanning as you stand there, opening umbrellas, etc. When you get in line there's a board that tells your anticipated time to get through--at 9 am on a Tuesday it was 35 minutes, plus another 10 or so for your personal bit.

I agree with Christa. I didn't time how long it took us to get though security but it was a good while. Every one of our bags went through the "check me further" line and they did everything but tear our bags apart at the seams to look for... something. Every little bag was opened, every clear ziploc packing cube scanned multiple times. I had packed my low boots with little odds and ends and those were emptied. Every souvenir magnet or bottle opener was examined as if it were going to take down the plane. The contents of my bag were strewn across a two foot area with other people's stuff getting mixed in with mine by the time they were done looking at my stuff. They certainly make their jobs seem necessary lol. This time I will expect it. To let you know just how bad this can be, I told security that if I had known just what their search would entail I would have just brought all my belongings in a big trash bag and packed afterward. The guy offered to repack my bag but I declined. I should have let him. Maybe I'll do that this time. : )
And if this sounds like a rant... it might just be! Boo on AMS security.

We just returned from our Amsterdam trip yesterday. As I mentioned in the last post, we departed on the 9:15am United flight to Newark. The whole check in and security experience was great.

At 7:15am at check in counter 26 at terminal 3, we had to first answer the standard "Did you pack your own bag?" type questions from the security personnel. They had a computer terminal where they scanned our passports, put an inspection sticker on each one and then allowed us to check our bags with the United agent. The United agent also scanned our passport and meticulously checked that the baggage tags had the correct destination before attaching them on each bag. This whole questioning and bag check process took about 7 minutes.

Then we walked towards automatic gates for access to the central security checkpoint. You simply scan your boarding pass to get through and then go upstairs to the checkpoint.

At this early time, there was nobody in line at the terminal 3 central security checkpoint. It took me a grand total of two minutes to put my bag in the bin, put the bin on the belt and get through the body scanner. My bag was diverted to the "inspect further" belt. The security screener simply asked if I had a tablet. It was an Ipad that he asked me to remove from the bag. He then put the Ipad through the x-ray and also put my carry-on through the x-ray a second time. This whole secondary check took only five minutes. There was no rumaging through my bag or dumping all the contents onto the counter. The screener only cared about inspecting the Ipad and was very professional.

After getting through the security checkpoint, we went through the exit immigration line to get a departure stamp. That only took five minutes.

At the United gate when we lined up by boarding group, a security agent asked again if our carry-ons were in our possession at all times since we checked our bags at the bag check counter. Then when actually boarding, they had two more gate security agents just before the jetway entrance who randomly pull aside people for patdowns and to look inside carry-ons. I think that this particular check is limited to US-bound flights. None of us were randomly pulled aside for this and we then boarded the plane.

All in all, I was really satisfied with the check in and security process. I think the fact we were there on an early morning United flight was part of the reason there was minimal waiting. I will say that everyone we encountered at the airport when departing were kind and professional. Yay for Schiphol Airport. It is my favorite.