KLM Dublin - San Francisco via Amsterdam : Anyone done it?

lc180

My parents are flying to San Francisco this week and they asked me a couple of questions about their journey which I couldn't answer and couldn't figure out so here I am! Has anyone out there flown this route before???

The flight goes Dublin(KL 3152) --> Amsterdam(KL 0605) --> San Francisco.

My dad is concerned about not having enough time in Schiphol Airport to transfer flights. They have roughly 1hr 10 Mins between flights. Can anyone tell me what the transfer procedure will be (security clearance, customs etc ) and what terminal they will arrive and which terminal they will depart from? Or if anyone can point me to a website with this information that would also be great.

Note : KL 3152 is a code share with Aer Lingus EL 0602 so I believe it is actually an Aer Lingus plane.


I reassured them they will have enough time but if anyone can help with the questions that would be great. I didn't book their flights and personally I would have chosen a different route but its too late to change anything!

kindalen

Ams is easy to transfer. Baggage checked through. If parents are worried they can ask staff to direct them to sfo flight. Just over an hour might be a bit tight if any delay, but should be fine.
Last time I went through. Ams security was at start of each gate.

spurious

Security is at each gate. I flew once on a delayed flight from Dublin and they had a man with a buggy at our arrival, waiting to whisk us in a rather nerve wrecking ride to the other gate.
It was not to SF, but it is their business to get you to the gate if you are delayed. Transfer is usually very smooth in Schiphol.

lc180

Thank you both so much for your replies. very much appreciated!

Does anyone know how I can find out exactly which terminal their incoming flight will arrive and which terminal their out-going flight will depart? I can't find any website with the info.

I know this question is overkill but would be useful.

cheers.

spurious

I think the info should be on their e-ticket.

lc180

spurious wrote: »

I think the info should be on their e-ticket.

no unfortunately it isn't.

spurious

OK, I put in those flights for yesterday and it came back with the 840 from Dublin arriving into Arrivals 2 and the 950 to SF leaving from Departures 3, which is just across Schiphol Plaza and up the stairs.

I doubt they will have a problem. If their inward flight looks like being delayed, tell the cabin staff. They'll be fine.

BuffyBot

Amsterdam is really one big terminal seperated into piers. No customs, but possible they may have to go throuh security again.

Aer Lingus normally arrives at Pier D. In reality the SF flight could be anywhere from B to F (the KLM flights are spread out a bit), though if I recall correctly most KLM long haul flights leave from E and F. However, the airport is a) very well organised and b) KLM are also. As above, I've seen them waiting for passengers at the aircraft door, transporting on buggies etc when needed

sailing

Amsterdam is easy to transfer through and there are always KLM staff on hand to point your parents in the right direction. Just let them be aware that EI 602 which sounds like the Aer Lingus segment of the flight with a 06.00am departure can be often be subject to an air traffic control arrival slot delay imposed by Schipol airport as the scheduled arrival time is extremely busy in Amstetdam. It's usually in the region of 15-20 mins in my experience. However a flight time of 1 hour 40 mins is scheduled for the flight for this reason to compensate for this so tell them not to be concerned by this. It usually makes up the time en route. The flight is really just over an hour in reality so even with a short delay in Dublin they can expect to arrive on time. Just ask a KLM member on disembarkation to point them in the direction of the San Fran flight. Their luggage will be checked all the way through in Dublin.

lc180

Thanks again, you guys are great!

i71jskz5xu42pb

lc180 wrote: »

no unfortunately it isn't.

As mentioned there are no separate terminals just concourses. You could probably pop onto the Schiphol airport site and see from the departures/arrival info what concourses the DUB/San Fran flights normally arrive into/depart from (no guarantee though).

That said if you bought the complete ticket from KLM (looks like you have) they have already factored enough time to transit in.

AMS is one of the nicer airports to transit through, it's they way airports should be nothing like London or Paris.

lc180

Itzel Ashy Superstition wrote: »

As mentioned there are no separate terminals just concourses. .

Yeah I looked at layouts of the airport and that confused me because I heard there was many terminals. Thanks for the clarification

Red Silurian

I'll be taking this flight in late October... Is it fair to make the assumption that the flights will be departing/arriving at the same gates?

BuffyBot

Not nessecarily - as above, they'll likely go from different piers..but it's an easy airport to get around/connect in.

Red Silurian

Took this flight late in October... Smooth transfer through AMS, security at the start of each gate and the take off was actually delayed due to loads of people at check in security so it's likely they'll wait for you if your first flight gets delayed!

Security and customs clearance at San Francisco takes ages though, not the best thing straight after an 11 hour flight

schemingbohemia

colmtheperson wrote: »

Took this flight late in October... Smooth transfer through AMS, security at the start of each gate and the take off was actually delayed due to loads of people at check in security so it's likely they'll wait for you if your first flight gets delayed!

Security and customs clearance at San Francisco takes ages though, not the best thing straight after an 11 hour flight

That is something to definitely price into your flight choices - to me it would be worth between €50-100 at the very least to have that done and dusted in Dublin.