At the beginning of the first weekend in July, Schiphol is already very busy. The rows of holidaymakers and other travelers were already well outside the departure halls early Saturday morning. A look at the departure boards shows that there are also various cancellations and delays. “But it will continue,” said a Schiphol spokesperson.
According to an APreporter on site, most people seem to accept the crowds. There is actually no question of angry reactions from waiting travelers. However, many people seem concerned about whether they will make their flight.
There is also a lot of staff around to manage the passenger flows. A spokesman for the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, responsible for airport security, reports that there have been no incidents.
Due to staff shortages at the baggage handlers and security, Schiphol previously foresaw that it would be very difficult to cope with the large summer crowds.
Monday threatens infarction due to farmer actions on A4
“It sometimes happens that people stand in line outside the departure hall. But it continues,” says a Schiphol spokesperson. According to her, the crowds are comparable to previous weekends.
Monday threatens a new problem. Farmers’ organizations have announced that they want to shut down the country that day, including talks about actions at Schiphol. Schiphol advises travelers to come by public transport as much as possible on Monday to avoid any blockades.
The airport and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee are preparing for various scenarios, but do not want to go into detail about this. Defense is also ready to help Schiphol on Monday.
Great chaos at many airports
The travel world is not only faced with problems in the Netherlands. This weekend, for example, there is a strike at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. As a result, one in five flights at the largest airport in France will not take place on Saturday.
The activists want a substantial wage increase now that international air traffic is picking up again and inflation has risen sharply.