Runway maintenance mean strong southerly winds could cause chaos at Schiphol this summer

Planned runway maintenance on the Zwanenburgbaan this summer means that a strong southerly wind could cause chaos at Schiphol Airport during its busiest season, people involved told the Telegraaf. Schiphol typically avoids closing runways for planned maintenance during the high season. “But this could not be done otherwise,” a spokesperson for the airport said.

The air traffic control agency LVNL told the newspaper that “in principle,” the runway capacity will be the same as in other summers, with the same number of takeoffs and landings. “There is a different runway use. But the weather can influence it, so that could lead to fewer flights. This maintenance will also cause more inconvenience to locals because other runways will be used more often,” a spokesperson said.

A combination of strong south or southwesterly winds and a closed Zwanenburgbaan could be a problem, aviation expert Etienne van Zuijlen said. “In that case, only the Oostbaan or Buitenveldertbaan via Amstelveen is available. The chance of wind is different in every season, and summer is the best time for this maintenance. But if there is a strong southerly wind or a summer storm, this will lead to serious delays and possible cancellations because this runway cannot be used optimally.”

A KLM spokesperson told the Telegraaf that the airline doesn’t expect any capacity problems as far as runways are concerned. But insiders at KLM told the newspaper that closing the runway in the high season is “a new form of bullying.” KLM has been clashing with Schiphol, the Ministry of Infrastructure, and LVNL about plans to downsize the airport.

According to the Marnix Fruitema of Barin, the aviation umbrella organization, the airlines were informed a few weeks ago of the partial closure of the Zwanenburgbaan this summer. “But then Minister Harbers came with his new shrinkage plan for Schiphol, which includes a break for the same Zwanenburgbaan runway. Is LNVL already practicing this summer by partially closing the runway?” Fruitema said. “We are constantly surprised because new plans are being implemented. We’ve actually had enough.”