Yikes! Vanity is obviously not one of my strong points as you can tell by my looks in the United Club as we waited to board the first leg of an Iceland journey. Since Icelandair is not part of Star Alliance we opted for UAL to Amsterdam, SAS from there to Oslo and one last flight on SAS to Reykjavik. You do what you have to do to accumulate those miles, right?
The non-stop, evening flight from Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Amsterdam was upgradeable to Business Class; a plus. A minus was middle, rear facing seats in the last row, facing the lighted and busy galley which meant overhead lighting in eyeballs throughout the flight. Now you know to avoid these seats like the plague, Business Class or not.
Click here to view the embedded video.
United Airlines 767 had an on time departure at 6:05p and we settled in to watch movies on demand, and eat. If you have frequently visited Travels With Sheila and/or watched the many United Airlines videos on YouTube, I’ve expressed an opinion many times about their food service; a meat entree is almost guaranteed to arrive dried out. Pork chop with green peppercorn sauce was on the menu and when I related past “meat” experiences to the flight attendant, she assured me that her meats are never overcooked or served dried out. Wrong…
board United Airlines flight by Group number
United Airlines 767-300 from Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Amsterdam
My meal selections were: smoked salmon as the starter/appetizer, good tossed salad, the dried out pork chop, cheese plate, and an impossible to ruin ice cream sundae for dessert.
A chilled deli selection served before arrival with fruit and yogurt, and approximately 8:30 hours later, touchdown at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Schiphol has the longest taxi in and out of any airport I can remember and one YouTube viewer posted an enlightening comment: The departure runway in Amsterdam was 36L. As an online tower controller at Amsterdam Schiphol I know it’s a very long taxi! Especially with a European flight as they, as you saw in the video, depart out of the Bravo/Charlie gates. Making you taxi all the way around the terminal, and even further. Where O’hare has its 30 minute waiting times, Schiphol has that with taxiing. Most of the time they will however use runway 24 for takeoff, which is very close by. Very unusual to use 36L called the “polderbaan” after the very flat land you see after takeoff. It’s mostly used for landing the big jets, like your United flight.
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport transit area
Transit passengers go through a separate and fast Immigration area, put carry-ons through security and connect effortlessly to their next flight. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (video) is beyond gigantic and gorgeous. With only 1:30 between landing and the next SAS flight to Oslo, there wasn’t enough time to visit a Star Alliance Lounge which I bet is wonderful judging by the airport.
Smurf chocolates for sale at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport terminal building
Amazing and different stores, lounges, restaurants, kiosks dispensing arrival and departure information. So much to see and not enough time…