Amsterdam Schiphol to Extend Passenger Cap into 2023

DALLAS - Troubled Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) has announced that it will continue capping the number of passengers travelling through its terminals by a fifth into the new year.

Bosses have said that they will review the cap at the end of the year with a view to adding capacity "from the end of January." However, the limit on passenger numbers is expected to be extended until at least March 2023.

The move comes as AMS continues to battle staff shortages, especially in its security department. The airport said it was working with its security companies and labor unions to improve the situation.

AMS is the third busiest airport in Europe and has been hit hard by security staff shortages. Photo: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Missed Flights

Passengers at Schiphol, one of the world's busiest airports, have endured long queues for security checks since April, leading many to miss their flights. This is despite management at the facility extending the current cap, first introduced in June, until the end of October.

In a statement, the airport said that the cap was introduced "to provide travellers a reliable travel experience, and predictability and stability for airlines." They went on to say that they had consulted with its airline partners, who were "not happy" about the move.

"Simply Unacceptable"

Indeed, the airport's largest operator, Dutch flag-carrier KLM (KL), said that the extension to the cap was "simply unacceptable." It revealed the move would mean a reduction in its winter flying schedule by as much as 22%. This will take the carrier's total amount of lost revenue caused by the passenger reductions to over €100 million (US$98 million).

"For KLM, this is the last straw. Again and again, airlines and their passengers need to offer the solution," The carrier wrote in a statement. "This harms KLM and stands in stark contrast to the increase in the cost of using Schiphol, rising to 37% in the coming years."

The move comes after KLM briefly introduced a temporary surcharge of €250 on certain flights departing AMS. This was done to try and "mitigate congestion at the airport by stifling demand." However, the surcharge was quickly removed "after an internal review."

In September AMS's president, director and CEO Dick Benschop announced his resignation following the European air travels "Summer of Chaos."

Featured Image: The passenger cap, first introduced in June, will now be extended into 2023. Photo: KLM