Amsterdam’s overcrowded airport cuts passenger flow
Amsterdam’s overwhelmed Schiphol Airport said on Friday it was cutting daily passenger numbers to thousands as one of Europe’s busiest aviation hubs struggled with long queues due to a staff shortage.
The announcement comes a day after chief executive Dick Benshop resigned, citing disruptions at the airport.
Schiphol said it will have to reduce its maximum number of locally departing passengers per day by an average of 18%, or around 9,250 travelers, due to the lack of security personnel.
“This decision is first and foremost bad news for passengers and airlines,” said Hanne Buis, Chief Operating Officer of Royal Schiphol Group.
“Nevertheless, the decisions made were necessary with the safety of our passengers and employees in mind,” Buis said in a statement.
In a statement, the airport said the security company working at Schiphol “will deploy fewer guards than previously indicated” in the coming months.
“Schiphol will apply limits on daily passenger numbers until at least the end of the year,” it added.
Dutch national airline KLM, the biggest user of Schiphol Airport, said it was “disappointed” that the airport would “adopt these measures again at such short notice”.
“This measure will have a significant impact on our passengers, colleagues, Schiphol and thus on KLM’s national and international reputation,” the airline said in a statement.
https://www.expatica.com/nl/general/amsterdams-overcrowded-airport-to-cut-passenger-flows-308472/ Amsterdam’s overcrowded airport cuts passenger flow