Schiphol needs 800 more security guards by April to return to normal; Airlines sceptical

By April 2023, Schiphol intends to recruit 800 additional security guards to work at the airport. These new workers will be necessary for the airport to function as it did before. Currently, because of staff shortages at security companies, the airport has forced airlines to reduce the number of passengers they transport, in some cases by cancelling flights.

In its plan presented to airlines, the airport said that it will start a recruitment campaign with the five security companies that are active at Schiphol. The plan was first reported on by the Financieele Dagblad. In just six weeks, on 16 January, Schiphol will decide how many passengers it can handle in May and the summer months.

Security staff shortages have regularly resulted in long queues and canceled flights at Schiphol this year. Airlines are still being forced to limit departing passengers up to and including March. KLM estimated the costs of all problems at 175 million euros, and easyJet said this week that it suffered several millions of euros in damage.

Last month, Schiphol already announced that it would increase the hourly wages for security guards at the airport by 2.50 euros. This forms the core of the better offer it can give workers, which should attract more staff to Schiphol. In addition, the security guards' schedules must become more favorable for employees, and comfortable break rooms will be created.

A spokesperson called the objectives "ambitious and a major task." But the intention is that Schiphol can operate without restrictions during the upcoming May holiday and summer summer holiday period. During the summer period, the airport expects almost as many passengers as in 2019, the year in which a record number of people flew via Schiphol. The airport also wants to regain the trust of airlines. At the peak of the May vacation period, the airport wants to handle 86,000 departing passengers per day.

In order to handle the passenger flow, airlines must also employ enough baggage handlers, emphasized Schiphol. They are responsible for loading and unloading aircraft, and staff shortages can cause an increase in turnaround time.

Barin, the industry group representing airlines operating in the Netherlands, said it was not convinced by Schiphol's recovery plan. The organization believes the tight labor market could make it difficult to recruit the necessary personnel, according to FD. "Seeing is believing," a spokesperson told the newspaper.

Labor union FNV also noted that more security guards are leaving than have been recruited thus far. The airport is facing "a great challenge" to accomplish the recruitment of 800 more guards while retaining current staff, union leader Joost van Doesburg told the newspaper. In reality, the airport may need more than a thousand new guards to meet its goal with enough staff left over to cover for those walking away from Schiphol.