After a chaotic year, Schiphol cancels staff New Year's party

Schiphol Airport will not host a New Year's reception for its colleagues this year because the airport wants to fully focus on its operations. A spokesperson confirmed the change of plans after it was reported by Luchtvaartnieuws.

"Our priority now is not a New Year's reception, it is our operations," she said. It is believed to be the first time that Schiphol Airport will have skipped its New Year's gathering, with the exception of the past two years, which was due to the coronavirus restrictions.

Major problems arose at Schiphol last spring, summer, and part of the autumn due to shortages of security guards and baggage handling personnel. Waiting times became enormous and security checkpoints, and many people missed their flights as a result.

Interim CEO Ruud Sondag said last month that Schiphol lost control of many aspects of its business because so much of the organization was outsourced. "The operational agenda has faded into the background in recent years," Sondag said. "You lose knowledge and control" as a result of offering contracts to companies which tender bids.

The airport is trying to attract new security guards through a major recruitment campaign. Schiphol expects it still needs hundreds of new security guards ahead of this year's upcoming summer season.

Crowds again this week

Travelers at Schiphol again complained about long queues on Monday morning. According to a spokesperson, this was due to a shortage of security staff.

He said the waiting time was generally at a maximum of between 45 minutes and an hour. However, the crowds were not nearly as bad as last summer, he claimed.