EES tight connection time (EU and non-EU national)

euanovsky

I'm doing a trip to Asia with my OH. My OH has a EU passport. Our journey there is:

LCY - AMS

AMS - CDG 1h10m connection at AMS

CDG - HKG 1h40m connection at CDG

The connection is a bit tight at AMS but my understanding is that if I miss the connection due to EES delay, the airline will need to book me onto the next available flight although I would not be entitled to statutory compensation as it is not the airline's fault (please let me know if this is not right). So I am not too worried.

My OH has a EU passport so would not have the issue. My question is if I missed my connection due to EES delay, would travel insurance pay out if my OH decides to not get on the connecting flight and wait for me? My insurance is with HSBC premier and it appears they don't cover my OH's missed connection in this scenario.

Woodstok2000

EES is a lottery - I travel through Schipol fairly regularly and queue times have varied from virtually nothing up to 45 mins+. Recently when the EES queue has been long, they seem to divert resources from the EU lanes and so both queues are longer than normal. That said, they also definitely prioritise connections and I've breezed through transit EES a couple of times when the lines for passengers entering the Netherlands were over 2 hours. 1hr10 is definitely doable, and the airport staff are well used to people needing to rush between gates.

Make sure you get the short transit pass - it's excellent as you can bypass 90% of the queues.

https://www.schiphol.nl/en/innovation/blog/short-connection-pass/

You'd need to read both tour insurance policies carefully to see what is covered. I know my policy would cover me if my partner couldn't travel because they were ill, but not if they missed a connection due to delays and I decided not to travel of my own accord.

euanovsky

Thanks and good advice! I didn't know something like short connection pass exists. I'll look out for those kiosks!

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82099119#Comment_82099119

Just to add, you don't actually need the pass to use the short connection lanes, but it makes everything a bit smoother. If you're really tight on time or there are queues for the pass kiosks just head straight down the short connection lane and the staff will check your boarding pass to make sure you qualify. They also usually have a board at the entrance with all the short connection flights on it, so if yours is listed there you are good to go, pass or not.

NoodleDoodleMan

As above - EES tends to be a lottery.

However, are you aware that as immediate family you are entitled to accompany your spouse through the EU passport holders control lane ? You have to be EES registered of course.

That's the theory - how it works in practice is another scenario - seems to depend entirely on the local passport control staff.

I now have an Irish passport (thanks to my late paternal grandmother) - we went through Malaga airport in April and the police officer checking my new EU passport indicated that in future my wife could join me. We have yet to put the theory to practice !!!

euanovsky

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82099169#Comment_82099169

Thanks how can they tell if you are married or not if we keep our own surnames? Anyway won't work for us as we are not married! Just committed to each other :D

NoodleDoodleMan

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82099370#Comment_82099370

Good luck with the transfers.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6679445/ees-tight-connection-time-eu-and-non-eu-national

Only if its a continuous ticket is the airline responsible, if you have bought a "self transfer" then you are on your own. I'd be surprised if anyone is selling that route as a single ticket but I guess its possible.

Had you only had one layover you would have avoided EES as you could have transferred airside and so not entered schengen space but because you are going from schengen to schengen you have to clear immigration in AMS

Insurance wouldnt cover it but assuming you are on the same booking as your partner they arent forced to travel on without you and the airline would have to deal with the pair of you (again assuming a continuous ticket) even if they could have gone on ahead

euanovsky

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82100173#Comment_82100173

Thanks! It's one continuous ticket sold by the airline so I presume they think it's doable (at least pre-EES).

silvercar

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82099370#Comment_82099370

No one checks, in any case if you live together you count as a family unit. You just breeze through and say your together. Worst case you say that under article 8 ECHR you are allowed to travel together.

fifeken

I'd be surprised if anyone is selling that route as a single ticket but I guess its possible.

Air France/KLM sell a lot of tickets like that. I try to avoid them but they're useful if you're collecting their frequent flyer club XPs.