Schiphol airport: Cancellations loom as airport imposes September and October passenger cap

Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport will restrict passenger numbers in September and October after struggling to recruit security staff.

The decision - which comes just days after the resignation of Schiphol CEO Dick Benschop - follows a summer of travel chaos and flight cancellations at the airport. 

Schiphol will reduce the maximum number of departing passengers by around 9,250 passengers, or 18 per cent, per day. 

The new daily cap will be 54,500 passengers per day in September and 57,000 per day in October.

"This decision first and foremost is bad news for passengers and for airlines," admitted Royal Schiphol Group COO, Hanne Buis.

“Nevertheless, the decision taken is necessary with the safety of passengers and employees in mind."

The new restrictions are being imposed to cope with a security guard shortage. 

During July and August, employees received an extra of €5.25 allowance per hour. Now that the bonus period is over, staff are quitting in droves, claims union Joost van Doesburg, a representative for the Netherlands Trade Union confederation.

“Many staff came especially for this allowance," he said last week, as the airport struggled with mammoth queues.

"The summer allowance has thus helped to cope with the summer problems but has not helped make the problems at Schiphol disappear in a sustainable way."

This latest exodus compounds existing staffing problems. Airlines and airports slashed jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, making it difficult to quickly ramp back up to serve the new burst of travellers. 

The restriction on passenger numbers will force some airlines to cancel flights.

Dutch national carrier airline KLM described the decision as "disappointing."

“The measures will have far-reaching consequences for our passengers,