Are you flying to or from Schiphol with KLM in the coming weeks? Brace yourself, because delays and cancellations could be on the horizon.
Due to today’s union strike for KLM ground staff, thousands of passengers are seeing their flights delayed or cancelled.
However, things are about to get even more chaotic at Schiphol, as KLM ground staff have announced a second strike for next Wednesday, September 24.
This will be followed by an eight-hour stoppage on the following Wednesday (October 1), with the promise of further action if KLM’s management refuses to meet their demands.
Is my KLM flight going to be affected?
In September, these disruptions will affect both domestic and international flights, primarily between the hours of 8 AM and 12 PM (CEST). On October 1, the disruptions will last even longer — from 6 AM to 2 PM.
If you’ve got a flight booked for any of the affected days, the airline warns that you “may be impacted on this date and on the days before and after.”
While there’s no guarantee that your flight is going to be affected, it’s best to stay prepared. KLM advises checking your flight status on the KLM app or My Trip and ensuring that you have push notifications turned on.
Good to know: You can also check current and future flight statuses on Schiphol’s website. These are the expected arrivals and departures for all KLM flights on September 24.
As thousands of passengers are currently affected, rebooking flights may take longer than usual. Therefore, if you’ve got a tight connection or important meetings to attend, you may want to consider alternatives like the train or using a different airline.
Why are KLM flights being cancelled?
With these strikes, the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions (FNV) is protesting what they view as KLM’s unequal pay distribution, inadequate protection for vulnerable employees, and the lack of balance between permanent and fixed contracts (among other issues).
“We find it incredibly frustrating for the passengers,” FNV director John Dorland admits, “but management is giving us no other option than to strike.”
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