Hundreds of passengers missed their flights at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on Monday after security queues snaked past the check-in desks.
The mess is attributed to a recent major overhaul of the airport’s screening operations, reports NOS.
The disruption unfolded on the same day Schiphol cut its roster of security firms from five to three, a change that gave nearly 5,000 workers a new employer overnight.
The new companies are joint ventures in which Schiphol holds a stake, giving the airport more direct control over its security. Apparently, the first day did not go to plan.
It was a perfect storm of problems
By the time the airport opened for business, the problems were already stacking up. Dozens of security workers found themselves locked out because their new access passes hadn’t been issued yet.
On top of that, NOS reported that an unusually high number of employees called in sick, citing anxiety about how the new setup would affect their working lives.
Serda Karabulut, an official at FNV, said the new scheduling system is what’s really unsettling workers. Many are afraid that taking time off or calling in sick will now come with consequences.
“It won’t be resolved in one go,” Karabulut told NOS.
Schiphol described the day in a press release as “a difficult start” caused by “a confluence of circumstances, mainly due to unexpected understaffing and IT problems in the morning.”
The airport added that it is in ongoing talks with both the security firms and the unions.
How long were the queues?
Travellers who spoke to De Telegraaf earlier in the day reported waits of over an hour.
Social media showed images of queues stretching deep into departure halls, with some travellers claiming they waited for hours, reports NOS.
@carinxda what the actual fuck @Amsterdam Airport Schiphol? we arrived over 2 hours early and still barely made it because security queues took almost 3 hours. no emails, no notifications, no warnings from the airport about delays or huge crowds, absolutely nothing. we were overheating in those packed queues because there was literally no air. i genuinely have no idea how this was handled THIS badly #schiphol #schipholairport #amsterdam #airport #airportsecurity ♬ original sound – Lorelei
By around 7 PM, wait times had dropped to 30–35 minutes. While this is certainly an improvement, it’s still well above the usual 10-minute benchmark. Congestion continued to ease into the evening.
Will it happen again?
Schiphol says it expects adequate staffing at security on Tuesday, but has not ruled out further disruption, citing possible “unforeseen staff circumstances.”
If you’re flying from Schiphol in the coming days, build in extra time. It’s worth booking a free security time slot online before you travel.
Passengers who missed their flights can rebook through their airline, according to a Schiphol spokesperson.
Have you been caught in the queues, or are you bracing for what’s coming? Let us know in the comments below.
The most confusing airport ever…at least for departures from Schiphol to the US. Signage needs improving.