Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands is preparing to place a limit on the number of travelers that can depart from the airport each day over the summer months.
The airport has said that a tight labor market has led to there being too few security employees to perform the necessary checks on travelers over the summer and that not intervening would mean unmanageable queues and missed flights.
Dick Benschop, CEO of Schiphol, said, “We are taking this measure with an unbelievably heavy heart. Everyone at Schiphol and all our partners want nothing more than to welcome all travelers with open arms, especially after the impact coronavirus has had. A lot is possible at Schiphol this summer, but not everything. Setting a limit now means that the large majority of travelers will be able to travel from Schiphol in a safe and responsible way.”
In recent weeks, Schiphol has been holding intensive consultations with airlines and the independent slot coordinator ACNL regarding the implementation of restrictions. Schiphol has let the slot coordinator know what the capacity is for the period between July 7 and July 31, with a view to the rest of the summer. On that basis, the slot coordinator will hold talks with all airlines regarding reducing the number of passengers. A decision will also be made regarding the period starting July 31, based on the expected airport capacity at that time.
Typically, the maximum number of travelers that Schiphol can handle varies from 67,500 on the busiest days in July and up to 72,500 in August. In the outlook for July, Schiphol found that there is an average of 13,500 seats each day above capacity relative to security capacity. However, the airport has stressed that this does not mean that the same number of travelers will be adversely affected by this measure, as some of the seats included in the planning have not yet been sold.