Schipol Airport managers have let the airlines know the beleaguered airport cannot handle more than 67,500 daily passengers in July and 75,500 in August. The current passenger counts means the airlines will need to cull about 1 million passengers from their passenger loads during the next two months. This translates into the airlines rerouting flights and consolidating flights. They also will be under pressure to deny boarding to passengers who miss their check-in deadline.
This could affect up to one million ticketed passengers who are now routed through Schipol or whose final destination is Schipol airport.
The Dutch airport, one of the busiest in Europe, has been in chaos for weeks now, unable to handle the number of passengers arriving and departing from the airport.
Reading articles on the subject indicate the reduction amounts to 16% of what the airlines had planned to run through the airport.
Not an insignificant number, so those with flights involving AMS need to keep close watch on their bookings
Brussels’ Airport may be in for a banner year if airlines can reroute passengers through BRU.
“ Brussels’ Airport may be in for a banner year if airlines can reroute passengers through BRU.”
Brussels Airport has its own issues to deal with. They had to cancel all departing flights today due to airport staff being on strike. Yes, you right that right, ALL departing flights from BRU are cancelled today.
Heathrow, Manchester, Dublin, Schipol and now Brussels’ Airport…It sounds as though news predictions of a multi-airport meltdown this summer are coming true.
On the positive side, being stranded in Belgium 🇧🇪 means more time to enjoy chocolate and beer!
And Le Parisien last week published a piece saying that Paris airports are in for much of the same ...
There is a thread under Netherlands on this Forum that goes into detail on the problems at Schipol.
I wish more airports would take control of enforcing their capacity limits and reign in the airlines from striving to shove too many passengers through their planes.
Check out the thread that I mentioned and you will see that the main problems with Schipol's problems are largely:
1) A strike less than a month ago that was resolved;
2) Manpower issues for security and airport staff.
A reporter from ANP, who wanted to fly from Stockholm to Amsterdam, reported chaotic conditions.
KLM did not initially say how many passengers were affected.
The company had previously warned that up to 50 flights per day may have to be canceled over the Pentecost weekend in order to keep the situation at Schiphol manageable.
Due to major problems with handling there, KLM temporarily drastically reduced ticket sales at the end of May.
In the weeks before, the airport had already struggled with major problems due to a lack of staff in baggage handling and security.
At the end of May, Schiphol presented an action plan to prevent the even greater chaos feared for the summer.
Accordingly, the airport wants to recruit more staff and pay higher wages.
We often try to use AMS on flight connections. That airport's always been very efficient--the Dutch way.
It's nice to say that our 2022 travel connecting thru LHR was completed 2 weeks ago.
We're not going anywhere in the near future.
AMS is a very efficient airport. Hopefully, airlines won't book flights they know won't be welcome. Paris is always teetering on labor disputes, but they manage to keep it running. I much prefer to enter Europe through Iceland. It takes no more than a few minutes to clear; then you can take a domestic flight to smaller airports. For example, Orly is a great option for Paris, both easier and faster/cheaper transportation options into the city. Or just fly into Charles de Gaule airport and stroll past immigration straight to transportation.