Baggage chaos at Schiphol: Unattended suitcases, strollers pile up

Baggage handling at Schiphol airport has fallen apart completely, according to Hart van Nederland. Piles of suitcases and strollers are left unattended all over the airport, some with flight labels from the beginning of June.

Schiphol is struggling with staff shortages, specifically in security and baggage handling. The airport blamed the chaos on the staff shortages. “A small disruption in the flight schedule, in combination with the current staff shortages, can cause baggage to be left behind. Airlines do their best to get those bags back to the passenger as quickly as possible,” the airport told Hart van Nederland.

The program spoke to several affected travelers. Michelle returned from a holiday in Gran Canaria on Friday night. After waiting in vain for her luggage to appear, she started looking for help. Eventually, she spoke to a customs officer, who casually told her: “Pick a nice suitcase and take it with you.”

“Our suitcases did not come,” Michelle said. “After a long wait, the baggage claim stopped. Then I thought I had to report it. But there was no one there. We asked customs. They said: Forget it, there is no one there. There were all kinds of suitcases piled up everywhere. Like being in a third-world country.”

She went home without her luggage and called her travel agency, who referred her to Schiphol, who shrugged and blamed the baggage handlers. “I’m afraid I won’t see my luggage again.”

Niels managed to track down his suitcase with some luck. Hours after returning from Greece, his 3-year-old happened to spot her pink suitcase with flowers on it among bags apparently from Cyprus. Niels’ suitcase was nearby. “Suitcases everywhere,” he said to Hart van Nederland. “At every pillar and corner. They have racks with suitcases in them. The information boards are not correct at all. All flights are mixed together.”