Also Monday, on Whit Monday, the crowds come and go at Schiphol. “It’s suddenly busy now, while it was still very quiet early this morning,” said a security officer around 8 a.m. Many people gather in the departure halls, where Schiphol employees stand every few meters to steer travelers in the right direction. “Due to crowds and shortage of staff, there are longer waiting times. Thank you for your understanding”, sounds a broadcaster’s voice.
The airport expects a peak day on Monday, because many people return or leave after a long Whitsun weekend. “It really comes in waves,” outlined two airport employees who guide the groups of travelers in the right direction. According to the duo, at these busier times it takes about an hour for travelers to get to security and then another hour to get through.
Also on Monday, airport employees were again pulled out with baskets full of stroopwafels, to offer the waiting travelers something. “It is busy here at times,” says one of the employees. “But compared to yesterday it is quiet”, she points to the empty, white tents outside. No one would have had to queue there on Monday morning.
Criticism
However, criticism can also be heard in the morning hours. “This is the worst airport in the world,” says a British man, who is trying to figure out which line to stand in. “I have to go to security.”
The airport has set a rule that passengers are not allowed to be in the departure hall earlier than four hours before departure. A woman who takes a flight to Spain around 11 a.m. has complied with this and arrived two hours in advance. “We wanted to be there a little earlier, but had some problems along the way. I checked, and being there between 2 and 3 hours in advance seemed sufficient,” she explains. “I just ran into a woman who didn’t have a flight until 2 p.m..”
Staff shortages
The airport has been struggling with staff shortages for weeks, including security and handlers. This causes passengers to end up in long lines. On Monday morning, there seems to be no congestion or considerably delayed luggage on the tires at the arrivals halls. KLM announced on Friday that it would cancel up to fifty flights a day during the Whitsun weekend to keep the situation manageable.