Delta Advisory Traveling To/From AMS

Did you see any advisories for other cities? I think its been a couple years now that Delta, as ordered by U.S. Homeland, is doing an additional passport/document check at every airport in Europe for all flights headed back to the U.S. It typically occurs after the normal screening close to or at the departure gate. It could be the advisory was in regards to this process thats been going on for a while.

This happened to us flying back in 2018 (from Rome) but not 2017 or 2015 (both of those were Paris/CDG). All those were with United.

I believe this happens at all airports with all US bound flights from Europe. I got "pulled" aside for additional screening at the gate and not the initial security line (I had SSSS on my ticket) but it still was an additional security check for all passengers.

Currently (or at least up to now), passengers on flights to the US on US carriers (so, Delta but not KLM) at Schiphol have had to check in at a "Pre-Departure Center" for additional security screening before boarding the flight.

One of the ways they enforce this is by not actually posting the real gate number of the flight, but the gate number of the security screening area. In other words, the gate that is shown on your boarding pass and airport monitors is actually the gate where the security screening area is; only after you complete that security screening/interview do you get a receipt that indicates the actual gate.

So it sounds like maybe they have implemented changes to the process where you no longer have to go to the screening area, although we can't be sure until someone who's done it reports back.

I have to admit I'm quite interested in what the new procedure is. The one that was in place seemed a little... uhh... silly.

@Jules, No I hadn't seen any other airport advisories posted on Delta.com

@Adrewesque, I did experience that unique screening protocol at AMS in September. At El Prat, they wouldn't post the gates until ~20 minutes before departure. By pure coincidence I was waiting in the very gate area of my flight to AMS.

-John

Oddly enough, I've received a few advisories from Delta about changes to the flow at security at AMS. None of them has ever taken longer or shorter and in some cases, I don't remember how these "changes" were any different from previous years that I've flown out of AMS. So I would not worry about it too much.

I'd agree with Continental....this is not something I'd worry about.

I haven't flown out of AMS in a few years but in general find it a good airport to transit thru, particularly with Delta/KLM.

Do give yourselves enough time for transit thru as coming in you'll go thru passport control in Amsterdam to enter the Schengen zone before you catch your flight to Barcelona and coming back from Barcelona you'll go thru exit formalities in AMS as well.

There used to be direct flights from ATL to BCN (a nephew did a study abroad in BCN and I had him book this flight as I thought it would be easier) altho MSP to AMS is pretty easy.

There is always some part of me that wants to be shifty-eyed and to sweat profusely as the AMS Delta agent asks me if anyone else has had control of my bags just to see what happens.

I wish Delta employees asked that more domestically. I get that question most often when I'm overseas when a partner airline employee covering DL flights like from KLM or Virgin is asking.