Another Schiphol Airport staff shortage looming as engineer union sounds alarm

Schiphol Airport may soon face another staff shortage. Due to aging and a lack of enthusiasm among young people for technical professions, there will soon not be enough aviation technicians and ground engineers to keep airplanes maintained and flying, the aviation engineers’ union NVLT warned.

“The NVLT is deeply concerned about the increasing shortage of aviation technicians in the Netherlands,” the union said. “These are not concerns for the distant future because if no action is taken before 2025, the shortages of aviation technicians could already lead to serious stagnation in airline flight schedules.”

Staff shortages will initially result in higher work pressure, which may lead to a potential threat to continued flight safety. If the shortage continues to increase, “flight operations will eventually come to a screeching halt.” A plane can not depart without the signature of a ground engineer.

Unlike cars and other ground vehicles that get serviced once a year, planes must be checked and serviced after every flight. Aviation technicians and ground engineers are responsible for this. And while this is a passion for aeronautical technicians, the working conditions can be rough, the NVLT said.

“Flights are carried out 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So maintenance is performed in continuous shifts, including work done at night, on weekends, or on public holidays. Some of that work happens in confined spaces or in places that are hard to reach. And the line maintenance work outside on the platforms requires working in all weather conditions.”

Due to the harsh working conditions and high demand for technically trained personnel throughout the Dutch labor market, more employees leave aviation within the first five years. “As a result, these new mechanics do not remain employed long enough to progress to the position of ground engineer.” Add to that the declining number of young people opting for a technical career, to begin with, and the NVLT is very concerned.

“In the coming years, many colleagues will retire and take their very valuable knowledge and experience with them,” the union said. “For the airlines and maintenance companies, the developments are a huge loss in terms of the minimum staffing requirement to continue flying.”

According to the NVLT, a culture change is needed in technology to move away from the image that the sector consists of mainly older men working full time. More flexibility can help attract more young people and more women to the industry.