Schiphol warns again this weekend for large crowds at the airport. There is probably no question of a new strike like last weekend, but Schiphol has asked airlines to cancel flights to relieve the workload among staff. KLM already announced that it would cancel at least 47 flights for Saturday and Sunday. A few flights from TUI and Corendon have been moved to Rotterdam The Hague Airport for Saturday.
As a result of the corona pandemic, Schiphol is very much affected by major staff shortages. The pandemic has reduced flying for almost two years, causing many people to lose their jobs. Not all of them have returned to their old jobs. With the May holidays in full swing, this puts extra pressure on the current staff.
Schiphol’s request to cancel flights is not well received by airlines. The international trade association IATA called the move outrageous. “Passengers book flights weeks or months in advance,” the IATA emphasized. “Some of them will have to cancel their vacation plans. It’s not just about a ticket. It’s about the whole journey.”
Schiphol already indicated on Friday afternoon that it would talk to airlines about the financial damage they are dealing with. The airport stated that it always took into account claims “in situations like this”. “We will deal with that as well.” A spokesperson declined to comment on the possible damage amount. It is probably millions of euros.
Schiphol was struggling last week with the aftermath of last weekend’s wild strike among ground staff, which led to chaos at the airport. The chance of a new strike by KLM employees at Schiphol this weekend seems very small. FNV director David van de Geer has let it be known that the signal that the employees gave last week has been received by the company. In the coming period, FNV will also join KLM for various collective labor agreement negotiations.
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