Here’s why flying from Schiphol may soon become EVEN MORE expensive

Schiphol is having a glow-up, investing more money into the improvement of staff, maintenance, and renewals. The only catch? Ticket prices will likely skyrocket as a consequence. 😬

Projections predict that the Amsterdam-based airport will be jam-packed with between 60 and 64 million travellers this year. However, the airport is built to support fewer people — hence why it needs to be renovated in order to allow for newcomers, NU.nl reports.

The dream of a new Schiphol

Interim CEO Ruud Sondag and financial CEO Robert Carsouw discussed their vision for how they will reinvent Schiphol during a recent press conference.

Apparently, the lack of staff was to thank for the infamous queueing times at Schiphol. But that is about to change.

READ MORE | Schiphol SLASHES 40,000 flights for 2024

The goal is to increase the size of luggage cellars, and hire more personnel — including 1,050 new security guards thus far.

Upgrading at what price?

If this all sounds too good to be true, that’s because, well, it kind of is. Now that staff salaries will be increased, so will the prices of flights. 🥲

Not only that, but airport charges will creep up by tens of percents over the next few years — something the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) deems “not unreasonable”, in spite of the airlines protesting.

READ MORE | Crash landing: Schiphol airport plummets in world rankings

Meanwhile, CEO Sondag insists that the price increase is proportional to the airport’s improvement in quality, dismissing the costly side effects as a “logical consequence”. No such thing as a free lunch, right?

Do you believe Schiphol’s new plan is worth it? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Feature Image:DutchReview
Ellen Ranebo
Ellen Ranebo
As someone half Swedish and half Irish who has lived in the Netherlands, the UK, and attended an American School, Ellen is a cocktail of various nationalities. Having had her fair share of bike accidents, near-death experiences involving canals, and miscommunications while living here (Swedish and Dutch have deceptively similar words with very different meanings), she hopes to have (and document) plenty more in future.

1 COMMENT

  1. Had Schiphol been underpriced, then yes an uplift would make sense. However since it has not been underpriced but perhaps mismanaged, to place the cost burden on the consumer further underscores the lack of accountability.

    “Tens of percent” implies at least a 20-30% increase over a short period. Given the number of international students in the Netherlands, further seems like it will be an unfair burden for them to bear given how the region is already pricing itself out of competition. It was the international tax breaks, fair cost of living and access to quality post-secondary education that drove a lot of NL prosperity over the past 20 years. Those first two factors have diminished significantly and though education is still there, if living/studying here become impractical and tax structures mean companies may move their regional HQ to more tax advantageous countries, could look for a downturn – which means you’re building a pricey airport for a diminishing population.

    Ultimately I believe that the glib, as it is presented in this article, attitude of Schiphol leadership highlights the lack of accountability for mismanagement.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related posts

Latest posts

BREAKING: International Criminal Court in The Hague issues arrest warrants against Israel PM and Hamas leader

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has just issued arrest warrants against three important figures from Israel and Hamas.  According to the NOS,...

Your guide to all the ‘lekker’ Dutch festive food and drinks you can enjoy this holiday season

Christmas is right around the corner, which means: it's time for the feasting on Dutch festive food to begin! 🎄 You might be wondering...

Best internet and SIM deals in the Netherlands: Free gifts, discounts, and more

’Tis the season… for Black Friday tech deals! From free TVs to discounts up to 70%, these are the best internet and SIM offers...

It's happening

Upcoming events

The latest Dutch news.
In your inbox.