It is a feeling we have all shared when the excitement of an impending holiday rapidly diminishes as you realise that early flight will have you clawing for the alarm clock in the middle of the night. It is also a feeling all too common for business travellers who, in order to make that 9am meeting, are forced to sacrifice a good night’s sleep to make it to the airport in time for their red-eye flight.
This, however, is just one of the drawbacks of flying that Dutch Airline KLM are hoping to relieve with the introduction of their new internet check-in service. While most passengers need to allow extra time to check in, as well as to navigate their way through the rigorous security checks, KLM passengers with access to a computer are able to halve the time they spend at the airport.
When making their booking, passengers are offered the chance to buy e-tickets, which are sent directly to your email. Each ticket has a reference number which enables the passenger to check in for their flight on KLM’s easy-to-understand website up to 36 hours before departure. A boarding card is then printed out and the long and often frustrating check-in queues avoided.
It is especially useful for those with only hand luggage as they can go straight to the gate when they arrive at the airport. This is perfect for those who are on a short business or weekend leisure trip as it minimises the time spent hanging around. This was precisely what my partner and I were after during a weekend jaunt to the Dutch capital of Amsterdam.
A 6.10am flight was not ideal for either of us, but it did mean we could have an extra full day away and the internet check-in service minimised the inconvenience of such an early start. We checked in the night before, arrived at the airport 45 minutes before our flight and breezed through for our short flight over the North Sea.
It was the same simple procedure on our return on Sunday night. With a flight at 7.45pm, we were able to check in before we left our hotel ( the beautifully designed and luxurious Tulip Inn Amsterdam Art Hotel ( in the morning and, after a delicious evening meal in the centre of Amsterdam, again arrived just 45 minutes before our departure.
It was a hassle-free end to a delightful weekend which, while it may have been for only two nights, with three full days to spend wondering around the canal-laden streets of this intoxicating city, felt far longer.
In truth, three days is enough time to see the city’s highlights. From the strangely fascinating red light district, in which male punters mix with groups of wide-eyed tourists as they “window” shop, to the high culture of its museums and galleries.
While red light districts in most European cities conjure up images of seedy bars and criminal activity, the liberal Dutch have not only managed to sanitise the industry in their capital city, they have turned it into a remarkable and unique tourist attraction.
It is much the same with its scattered coffee shops. Indeed, while the sickly sweet smell of marijuana may often be found sailing on the breeze, unless you specifically wish to indulge in this particular pastime, it does not impinge on you one little bit.
Sex and drugs have become synonymous with Amsterdam and there is no question that many tourists head there precisely because they wish to indulge themselves in the pleasures of one or both.
Yet, there is far more to the city than these dubious pleasures. In fact, with a labyrinth of canals, this is undoubtedly one of the nicest European cities to explore on foot, particularly if you take a break from your leisurely stroll to sit at one of the delightful street cafes and watch the world drift by.
The shopping is also good, with chain stores, instantly familiar to British tourists, mixed with small boutiques and specialist shops, particularly good for those who are looking for something a little different this Christmas.
For art lovers, the Van Gogh museum is an absolute must, but the highlight for us had to be the visit to Anne Frank’s House. Anne Frank was the young Jewish girl whose diary kept during the horrific German occupation of the city during the Second World War sent the extent of the human suffering caused by the Holocaust reverberating around the world.
Superbly done, the house has been turned into a highly informative and thought-provoking museum. A potent reminder of the tragedy of Holland and Europe’s past.
