Thousands of suitcases are left behind at Schiphol after malfunction

Could you travel with one set of clothes? Over the weekend at Schiphol, a malfunction with the baggage system has resulted in thousands of suitcases left behind.

The malfunction was resolved within one day but even a few hours of system failure can cause an enormous back log of suitcases that need to be reorganized. While Schiphol is trying to send the suitcases left behind to their rightful owners, it still has to process the regular luggage. A spokesperson for the airport commented “That’s why it is taking a while. But we are already halfway through and we’re trying to send the remaining suitcases to their owners this week.”

Customers teated like cattle?

One man from twitter declared that customers at Schiphol were “treated like cattle” during the ordeal

Malfunctions are inevitable (albeit how frustrating for the passengers) so are tweets like this unreasonable? They do say that expectations are resentments in the making after all..

Shout out to the organised people who carry an extra pair of clothing with them in their hand luggage.


All we want is communication! 

It seems the biggest frustration from customers is the lack of updates from airlines and not knowing what strategy is in place to handle the problem.

Schiphol airport employ extra technicians during the summer months to combat the increased likelihood of technical issues.

Have you ever had your luggage lost? Let us know in the comments below! 

Accuracy, clarity, and a touch of humour — that’s DutchReview. Read our editorial mission.

Freya Sawbridge
Freya Sawbridge
Freya was born in Edinburgh but raised in New Zealand (cue every person she meets saying “oh I have always wanted to go there but it’s so far away!”). A restless and curious nature has led her to move countries 5 times in the last 3 years in attempt to find a place she can call home. She contacted DutchReview on a whim and arrived in the Netherlands in summer 2019 to start her internship.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related posts

Latest posts

9 things you need to know about Dutch health insurance as an international

Whether you’ve recently moved to the Netherlands or are considering a move in the near future, it’s only natural to have some questions about...

Deadly crash kills two, leaves several injured on Dutch A59 motorway amid farmers’ protest

Two motorists were killed, and several others were injured in a crash on the A59 motorway near Heesch this morning. At least four cars were...

Travelling outside the EU with a Dutch SIM: what does it really cost?

While your Dutch SIM card will work almost anywhere in the world, data roaming costs can be eye-wateringly steep. Here’s what your Dutch SIM actually...

It's happening

Upcoming events