Schiphol says people arriving too early were causing lines to build on Monday
Monday again saw long lines forming at Schiphol airport. The main problem is travelers arriving at the airport too early, a Schiphol spokesperson said to WNL.
“Travelers are very punctual, sometimes arriving even a little too early,” the Schiphol spokesperson said to WNL. “That’s why lines are now forming. We, therefore, once again urge travelers not to arrive at Schiphol earlier than four hours before their flight.”
The lines at departure hall 3 even stretched outside, with miserable, rainy weather hitting hitting the area off and on. Generally, the lines at the departure halls were moving well, the spokesperson claimed, with average waiting times of about an hour ahead of security checkpoints.
Some passengers told NL Times the wait lasted just 45 minutes, but others had a harder time. One passenger said that after the long wait to clear security, just two Marechaussee officers were stationed at passport control.
Over the weekend, Schiphol also struggled with queues at the arrival hall due to understaffing at the Koninklijke Marechaussee. Many officers had called in sick after testing positive for an infection of the coronavirus.
A spokesperson for the Marechaussee, a policing force that works as part of the Dutch military and is responsible for border security at airports, told WNL that its staffing was sufficient on Monday. “Should the crowds increase, we will shift the focus to departing and transferring passengers so they don’t miss their flight.” That could result in a more crowded arrivals hall.
On its website, Schiphol warned travelers to expect longer lines due to the autumn holidays. The airport urged travelers to arrive on time but not too early, know their gate, and pack as efficiently as possible. “Take as little hand baggage as possible and put as many items as you can in your hold luggage.” This should help travelers get through the security checks faster.
