KLM Thank You!!!

Well, look at it this way - $350 buys 1/3 - 1/2 of your next Turkish Airline ticket. 🤣

Oh gosh. When do you leave James ???

I leave Monday and will have to transfer in AMS Tuesday morning. Great Joy.

James I’ve been wondering about your frequent travels that sometimes involve need of dressier clothes when a gala event is planned or outdoorsy, fishing clothes. You always mention taking different clothes with you. Isn’t there a way you could leave 1-2everyday sets of clothes, a dressier set and/or a fishing set in storage somewhere in Budapest?

Sorry that KLM has done this to you for your upcoming trip. AMS had been one of my favorite airports for flights and transfers until this summer’s ongoing fiascos.

Mona, I do keep some clothes stored in Budapest. Fortunately for this trip I have a pair of wading boots and dress shoes in Budapest or I would not have made the weight cut. For winter I have coats and sweaters there.

Since with Turkish Air the personal item didn't have a weight limit, I never weighed it. I guess I had been carrying 8kg in the carry on and maybe another 8 kg in the personal item. I only missed the weight limit by a few pounds before I got creative.

I do travel a bit heavy I guess. There is what I enjoy doing which I feel a need to look appropriate for .... so at least one nice shirt and trousers. Then this time the rod and reel and net and waders and the few accessories that go with fly fishing. And I am self employed so I never get a holiday free of work, so a laptop always has to come along,

Power supply, converters, adapters, wires, keys, phone battery, cash, cards, etc all in my cargo pants.... :-)

Our flights have always been one ticket Delta/KLM so that the Delta carry on weight policies applied to both flights on the ticket. I would definitely have a difficult time complying with KLM's limits.

Delta/KLM are nice then, because with a lot of code shares its the lesser of the two ... but admittedly they really have no way of checking on a transfer.

Sorry to hear of your problems at Amsterdam, but wasn't it the airport's "malfunctioning" baggage system that caused KLM's reactions?

Of course we all want to know if they weighed your cargo pants.
That you were wearing to travel in.
Visions of you behind a curtain ,with your pants on a scale, being weighed by a stern airline employee.
Let us know what happened as far as the carryon size for KLM went.
I'm also taking carryon through AMS in the Fall on KLM.
Best of luck.

KLM has already changed my schedule once and now tells me I can not check a bag.

I think I’d have a difficult time not going over the 12Kg weight limit too!

You may consider wearing suspenders for your cargo pants! Ha!

Enjoy your trip!

The baggage machinery broke down the day before. So anyone having a plane change at AMS or flying intra Europe was asked either not to check, get a refund, or a voucher.

Thanks Bets!
I edited my reply after reading that information on another thread.

What a mess!

I know the airlines are revenue-hungry and pitiless, but I am having trouble understanding why KLM didn't announce that, although it's carry-on size limit still applies, the weight limit has been raised to XX while checked bags are not allowed.

When I saw this thread

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/the-head-of-klm-is-awfully-sorry

I was sure it was going to be the CEO of KLM apologizing to James personally !!!

(James I am sorry -- I know this isn't actually funny when you are really dealing with it. But I loved your ranting and then to see that the head of KLM was sorry -- well the juxtaposition made me laugh ! Good luck on Monday -- I think my brother and his family are flying KLM from Copenhagen to AMS to LAX a week from tomorrow, so they may be dealing with this soon !!)

Please educate me regarding the drone reference.

Kim, I rant then I laugh about it and life goes on. Thanks for the support.

I’m still wondering where KLM Airlines plan to accommodate all the carry-on luggage for each flight?
I don’t think there’s enough room in the planes if all passengers are taking carry-on luggage, right?

James, I do wish you a safe flight and a wonderful trip!

I will have fun. Sometimes the challenges are part of the experience. I just weighed in at 11.25kg + Pants.

James - Please report on tomorrow’s KLM at AMS experience.

4Roses, as requested

Since I got my boarding pass online, and since I only had carryon; I didn't need to go to the KLM counter. I went straight through security. That means no one ever weighed my bag.

Turns out an old business associate will be in Budapest on my arrival day. He said come to dinner. I said yes. I forgot he is American so dinner for him means 6:30 and my flight arrives at 4:30. So I just upgraded to Business to help ensure I can get some sleep.

So far departure is 55 min late.

Nope 1:15 late.

Nope 1:45 late departing ... and the fun begins

Arrival 1 hour late, but I slept well.

Time at passport control, less than 15 minutes, but there weren't many in line. Only 4 windows open.

Walk time gate to gate: 10 minutes more or less.

Public "facilities" tiny and hot ... Actually the whole airport is a tad warm.

And something less than 5% of the people I have encountered have worn a mask. There is no social distancing.

Flight from AMS to BUD will depart about 10 min late. Maybe 10 empty seats on the flight.

Flight attendants walked the waiting area looking for obvious carryon violations, but found few. Most everyone has maxed out their carryon but more or less legal and as a result it all fit in the plane.

And I guess thats it 4roses. In 100 min I will be "home".

AMS was pretty uneventful.

Better message or WhatsApp your friend…

James- Thanks for the boots on the ground report from Schipol!

Thanks James....have a wonderful time now you got there safely.
(So.......the trick is: print your boarding pass at home, and nonchalantly walk past the staff with confidence?😏)

Better the KLM App with the boarding pass.

But I am "home" and thats all that matters.

Another tip if the condition at the airports concerns you ... Fly direct, obviously, or change outside of Schengen (London or Istanbul) so passport control takes place at your final destination.