Connecting flights via Schipol

[BirdyBedtime]

Looking at going to Italy next year. Direct flights are limited but can go via Schipol with KLM. Connection time would be 50 mins - is this too tight?

It is tight. It’s huge!

It could be. I used to fly through schipol on a connecting flight with a similar connection time and missed it several times. The time that the plane lands is the time it touches down on the runway, it could then have ten minutes taxiing to the gate, if your first plane is ten minutes late leaving that's already twenty minutes off your 50 minutes connection, you also have to go through security again too.
If both flights are booked with klm they will put you on the next flight if you miss the connection.

It is tight and sometimes you would make it, sometimes you wouldn't, but as Nanny says, if its all booked with KLM, they will put you on the next flight. they may also hold the second flight to help connecting passengers make it. KLM will have a minimum time between flights that they know most people will make the connection, providing the first flight isn't late and they go direct to the second flight and not piss around in the airport of course.

They also make announcements while on the first plane to either help you get to the right gate for the second flight, or tell you that you've missed your flight . They also sometimes let people with connecting flights off first, to maximise their chance of making the second flight.

Bear in mind that even if you make it, your luggage will probably not, so if you do make this booking, make sure you have all essential medicine, valuables, spare pants etc in your hand luggage.

That is too tight and would be so stressful

And of course you need to take delays your departure end into consideration

Both KLM flights so that's interesting to know. Will look to see what the next flight onto Rome would be if we missed it. We'd already thought luggage might not make it. But agree it might be too stressful

I didn't think you'd have to do security again for another internal European flight?

Official landing time is doors open at gate time, not touchdown, isn’t it? If a flight’s delayed & is borderline for compensation it’s gate time that counts.

Is it all booked one ticket (same booking reference with KLM)? If so they have responsibility for you making it so if you don’t, and as others have said it’s very tight, they have to put you on another flight at their expense. If it’s just with the same airline but booked as two different trips none of the above applies so not worth chancing it in my opinion.

You need to go through passport control again, but probably not security unless you take a wrong turn in the airport and end up landside but no one is daft enough to do that oh no.

KLM website says minimum transfer time is 40 mins.

If there's another flight a couple of hours later, you could always book that instead. Loads of bars, restaurants and shops at Schipol so easy to fill a couple of hours.

Schipol is a huge airport, 50 minutes is cutting it very tight.

You can do Italy-schipol-uk transfer in 15 mins. You need to run and use the e-gates.
Your luggage won't make it.
Voice of experience.

sounds like the kind of thing I'd do Barbara!
All good advice - thanks all

My understanding is that airports publish ‘minimum connection times’ and schipols is 45 mins - Heathrow’s is something like 75 or 90 minutes. We once had a 50 min connection at schipol to KL and it was fine .... no need for passport control as not arriving from schengen .... but on a flight connecting to Geneva had to go thru passport control and entering Schegen zone ... goodness knows about arrangement post brexit

If it is KLM then all their gates are together at Schipol. So tbought the airport is huge, you will only be a few minutes away.

You DO NOT have to go through passport control in between each flight.

We did it in 20 minutes in February though I wouldn’t particularly recommend it. If it were me and it was the one booking, I’d do it and hope for the best.

You have to go through passport control and security depending on where you re coming from and going to, I’m pretty sure that if you are coming from non-schengen area (inc UK) and going to Schengen area (most of the rest of Europe) you’ll have to do passport control. Security screening is sometimes at the gate (haven’t totally sussed the logic of when this is!).
It will be tight, I’d risk it if it’s a KLM connecting flight as if you are really tight they may assist you through, worst case they’ll book you on the next available flight. Absolute no way I’d do it otherwise. I’ve run through schipol too often!

There is some advice regarding transfers on the website. When you fly between schengen/non-schengen countries you need to clear security and passport control again.

Yes, we flew to Bologna via Schipol with a similar flight time. We made it but my mum's bag took an extra 48 hours!! Split your clothes between bags to be on the safe side.

Just reread your OP, Birdy - next year?

Before or after 29 March...?

Loveka not always, we connected in January and had 50 mins, both KLM flights and the gates were as far apart as they could possibly be. We were sprinting through the airport with a 3 and 5 year old coming off a red-eye, kids crying, barging to the front of queues, the works. We made it literally as the next flight was closing the gate and we were begging to be let through with about 50 people panting up behind us all from our previous flight.

When we got off the first flight (not delayed) there was a KLM employee with a board that said our next flight to London, which half our previous flight was also transferring onto and I thought "oh phew they're holding it for us", but when I said to her we were on that flight she just said "RUN"

Will never, ever transfer there again without at least 90 mins plus. Huge airport arranged in the most frustrating starfish shape so you have to go into the central hub, through heaving duty free and other shops, then all the way out again.

I could have made my connection in 50 mins at schipol, but seeing as my bags didn’t make it when my connection was 3 hours, I wouldn’t risk with anything in the hold.