To check or not to check .. (bags, that is)
Aug 26th, 2007, 08:32 AM
#1
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To check or not to check .. (bags, that is)
Flying from SFO to ATH with a 90 minute layover in Amsterdam. Does it seem possible to make it through customs and onto the next flight with checked-on bags ... or more likely to be successful with carry-on only. We'll be traveling for nearly a month, from climate-to-climate, so it would really be nice to have the option of a larger bag ... but not if we won't make our connection.
Aug 26th, 2007, 08:37 AM
#2
I'd split the difference. Check in one suitcase (won't your bags be transfered to your connecting flight?). But pack a reasonable size carry-on with enough that you could live out of it for a few days, if it comes to that.
Aug 26th, 2007, 08:43 AM
#3
Hi, scdreamer,
can you not get your luggage booked through for some reason? if you have a through ticket, this should not present a problem, and then, 90 minutes at Schipol will be fine.
if you need to recover your luggage for some reason, then 90 minutes may be pushing it, though you have the best chance of doing it at Schipol. it is really easy and quick to navigate, as we found recently, connecting from our Bristol flights to and from ones to SA.
if you are only going to greece, then you won't need many clothes at all. also, there was none of this nonsense at schipol about only one carry-on - that appears to be a UK regulation, or at least one that only the UK is observing. they are bothered about the "liquids on a see-through bag" rule though.
if you are heading for other places afterwards, then with any luck the weather will be ok; if not, you could buy a few clothes and a new suitcase for your return journey, when hopefully, the connection is not so tight.
hope this helps,
regards, ann
can you not get your luggage booked through for some reason? if you have a through ticket, this should not present a problem, and then, 90 minutes at Schipol will be fine.
if you need to recover your luggage for some reason, then 90 minutes may be pushing it, though you have the best chance of doing it at Schipol. it is really easy and quick to navigate, as we found recently, connecting from our Bristol flights to and from ones to SA.
if you are only going to greece, then you won't need many clothes at all. also, there was none of this nonsense at schipol about only one carry-on - that appears to be a UK regulation, or at least one that only the UK is observing. they are bothered about the "liquids on a see-through bag" rule though.
if you are heading for other places afterwards, then with any luck the weather will be ok; if not, you could buy a few clothes and a new suitcase for your return journey, when hopefully, the connection is not so tight.
hope this helps,
regards, ann
Aug 26th, 2007, 08:49 AM
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First, your SFO-AMS flight is definitely on KLM, either with a KL or NW flight number. If your AMS-ATH is also on KL (KL or NW flight number), your bags can be and will be checked through to ATH. You will not see them at AMS.
If you're flying somebody else AMS-ATH, you can also request the bags to be checked through when checking in at SFO, unless AMS-ATH is on a budget airline, which I doubt you're using.
If you're doing KL/NW the whole way, you get off the plane, go through immigration, then security and to your new gate. 90 minutes is plenty of time for you or your bags to make the connection.
Of course, checked bags can mis-connect, just like you can. It just depends on the risk you're willing to take.
If you're flying somebody else AMS-ATH, you can also request the bags to be checked through when checking in at SFO, unless AMS-ATH is on a budget airline, which I doubt you're using.
If you're doing KL/NW the whole way, you get off the plane, go through immigration, then security and to your new gate. 90 minutes is plenty of time for you or your bags to make the connection.
Of course, checked bags can mis-connect, just like you can. It just depends on the risk you're willing to take.
Aug 26th, 2007, 10:07 AM
#5
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Thanks for the information - for some reason I was under the impression we would have to retrieve our bags, go through immigration, and re-check them. (Probably because that's how it works when we fly back into the USA and have a continuing connection). And I couldn't remember how it was the last time we had a connection going to Europe from the USA - to Rome through Frankfurt.
Thank you so much for the info - it makes it a lot easier for us to decide to just check a couple larger bags. We'll be staying in Athens for three days, so if worse comes to worse, and a bag doesn't make it, we should have plenty of time to get it delivered before we have to leave Athens.
Thank you so much for the info - it makes it a lot easier for us to decide to just check a couple larger bags. We'll be staying in Athens for three days, so if worse comes to worse, and a bag doesn't make it, we should have plenty of time to get it delivered before we have to leave Athens.
Aug 26th, 2007, 12:09 PM
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I have had bags delayed, so when I check bags, I generally carry on a couple changes of clothes and basic toiletries so that I don't have to immediately go shopping if the checked bags take a day or two to catch up 
Aug 26th, 2007, 12:37 PM
#7
That would have been my other question that I didn't go into..
How long you will be at your first hotel, so if something gets delayed the airlines can have the luggage catch up to you. I doubt it would be a problem, but am even more sure since you'll be in the same location several days at the start.
You can ask your airline this question, in order to be sure (luggage needing to be claimed for customs required at A'dam or luggage checked all the way thru).
How long you will be at your first hotel, so if something gets delayed the airlines can have the luggage catch up to you. I doubt it would be a problem, but am even more sure since you'll be in the same location several days at the start.
You can ask your airline this question, in order to be sure (luggage needing to be claimed for customs required at A'dam or luggage checked all the way thru).
Aug 26th, 2007, 12:56 PM
#8
hi, dreamer,
i can assure you that 90 minutes will be ample time at schipol, if you are not collecting luggage. we had the same amount of time, and ended up waiting for ages at the gate for them to let us on. it is dead easy to find your way around and there are lots of shops and cafes to visit on the way.
I would strongly advise you to mark your cases in some way with your destination other than the airline's tags that they afix when you check in. i always put old fashioned tie on luggage labels on ours, with our names, flight nos, and destination. i also put a copy of our itinerary inside.
this may seem like overkill, but they were recently auctioning off luggage left at Heathrow that no-one had claimed, and where there were no distinguishing marks.
regards, ann
i can assure you that 90 minutes will be ample time at schipol, if you are not collecting luggage. we had the same amount of time, and ended up waiting for ages at the gate for them to let us on. it is dead easy to find your way around and there are lots of shops and cafes to visit on the way.
I would strongly advise you to mark your cases in some way with your destination other than the airline's tags that they afix when you check in. i always put old fashioned tie on luggage labels on ours, with our names, flight nos, and destination. i also put a copy of our itinerary inside.
this may seem like overkill, but they were recently auctioning off luggage left at Heathrow that no-one had claimed, and where there were no distinguishing marks.
regards, ann
