Schiphol has Monday asked a number of airlines cancel flights to ease the crowds at the airport. It concerns flights that are scheduled from departure hall three between 16.00 and 23.00. Airlines do not have to comply with the request, but if they do „be [ze] compensated for this”, according to Schiphol.
Monday morning there were long lines at the airport, outside the departure halls. The waiting time increased for departure halls one and three in particular. According to the airport, there is an ‘underdelivery’ of security personnel. Schiphol outsources the hiring of security guards and, depending on the number of passengers, requests a number of ‘hours’ from the security companies. There will be fewer security guards present on Monday than the airport had requested, a spokesperson said.
Termination of summer allowance
According to the FNV trade union, the termination of a summer allowance last Monday is the main reason for the recurring long lines. Last summer, when Schiphol tried to cope with the crowds, it paid a summer allowance to security personnel, among others, with employees receiving an extra EUR 5.25 gross per hour. The allowance expired on Monday. Even then it was busier at the airport, despite the fact that the number of flights is a lot lower compared to the summer peak.
“The summer allowance has worked very well to reduce the problems this summer,” says FNV campaign manager at Schiphol Joost van Doesburg. “A lot of people who actually wanted to quit their jobs stayed longer and others just came to Schiphol.” Tomorrow FNV and Schiphol will enter into talks, that agreement already stood before the current crowds. Van Doesburg wants to talk about how the organization can be an attractive employer in the future. According to him, that is difficult, because “crucial processes for the longer term have been outsourced.”