Schiphol’s passenger numbers to double in 2022, still below pre-corona levels

Queues in Schiphol last summer.Photo: Lauren Comito

Schiphol Airport passenger numbers doubled in 2022 as the country’s hub recovers from restrictions imposed during the first two years of the coronavirus pandemic.

A total of 52.5 million people passed through the airport. This includes arriving, departing and transit passengers. This number is still down 26% from pre-pandemic levels of 71.1 million passengers.

The airport was plagued with problems over the summer as it struggled to cope with increased demand, leading to Dick Benshop stepping down as CEO in September.

Airports have capped the number of passengers per day during peak hours and encouraged airlines to cancel flights to avoid long queues at security gates. At the peak of the crisis, passengers were told not to arrive more than four hours before he was scheduled to depart.

Baggage handlers went on strike in the spring and security guards were short, leaving the airport unable to handle as many passengers as it did pre-pandemic.

The FNV trade union has warned travelers to expect more problems this summer as staff shortages remain unresolved. We plan to decide by April if we need to.