Chaos reignites at Schiphol as workers’ summer wage increase expires

Chaos is once again a synonym for Schiphol here in the Netherlands, as wages go back to normal after the unusually busy summer season.

For a few months, exhausted airport employees have been granted some extra cash, to keep Schiphol from breaking down completely — €5.25 extra per hour, to be exact.

READ MORE | Chaos at Schiphol: why the biggest Dutch airport is struggling so much

But now, the temporary bandaid has been ripped off, and staff is looking for better work elsewhere, writes the NOS.

Translation: “What does the responsible minister do when the situation at Schiphol gets completely out of hand?” “Minister Harbers visits cycling day: ‘Important that the elderly are helped with tips’.”

Flights cancelled

That Schiphol staff, and security personnel, in particular, are jumping ship means more chaos at the busiest Dutch airport.

The summer rush seems to linger, and there are simply not enough people (willing to be) working in order to make sure all passengers leave the ground safely, and on time.

Yesterday between 4 PM and 11 PM, Schiphol ordered multiple airlines to cancel their flights on short notice.

Transavia airlines were among the companies highly annoyed about the airport’s handling of the situation, as they had to cancel flights for passengers with only a few hours’ notice.

READ MORE | KLM promises to reimburse passengers for cancelled flights within seven days

Not all airlines followed Schiphol’s request, however, and many flights still left the ground last night. This led to long lines, and chaos reminding us of those sweet summer months.

New day, new Schiphol?

After a disastrous day yesterday, with up to 10,000 travellers affected, RTL Nieuws reports that today should be better. They do not go into detail on how exactly the situation has improved since yesterday, however.

READ MORE | Want to cancel your flight at Schiphol because of the chaos? That will still cost you

In other words, if you’re planning on leaving the country anytime soon, you should show up bright and early — four hours in advance.

Oh, and bring good walking shoes, snacks, some entertainment, and maybe a tent — God knows how long you’ll have to stay there.

Have you been affected by the chaos at Schiphol? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!

Feature Image:Depositphotos
Juni Moltubak
Juni Moltubak
Juni moved to the Netherlands after realizing how expensive tuition fees in the UK are, and never regretted her choice of studying in The Hague. After three years of Political Science, she is ready for a new adventure — an internship at DutchReview! When you don’t see her typing on her laptop she can be found strolling around Haagse Bos or sitting in her lovely garden scrolling through interior design TikToks.

1 COMMENT

  1. We didn’t even get that summer bonus yet and they are still quiet about it !!!!!!! No wonders that employees feel scammed and even more undermotivated

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