Schiphol: “Days” of snow issues ahead; 455 flights scrapped today, 210 tomorrow, so far
Snow will continue to disrupt air traffic at Schiphol in the coming days, the airport warned on Tuesday. Over 450 flights were already cancelled as operations got underway, and over 200 more were scrapped in advance on Wednesday, with KLM and Transavia among the most impacted airlines.
At 7:30 a.m., the airport’s website listed 229 cancelled departures and 226 canceled arrivals for Tuesday. So far, 13 departures and 92 arrivals have been delayed. Many of the canceled flights are return flights within Europe operated by KLM. The Dutch airline typically cancels flights ahead of time when bad weather is expected, to give travelers time to make alternative plans.
“Due to persistent winter weather, only limited air traffic is possible to and from Schiphol,” the airport said, urging travelers to check their current flight information before leaving for the airport. “If your flight has been cancelled, please do not come to the airport.”
On Monday, Schiphol had to temporarily ground all flights due to the winter weather. Over half of the scheduled flights for the day had to be canceled, leaving countless travelers stranded at the airport. The airport reported that 381 departures and 406 arrivals could not be operated at all on Monday. 229 departing flights and 189 arriving flights were delayed.
“Our snow crews are working around the clock to keep the runways clear, and aircraft are being carefully de-iced to ensure everyone can travel safely,” Schiphol said on Tuesday. “However, the wintry conditions are expected to cause disruptions to the flight schedule in the coming days. This may result in delays and cancellations.”
Eurocontrol, the European air traffic center, issued a similar warning, saying that flight movements at Schiphol will continue to be “severely” limited at least until 8:00 p.m. due to snow removal and de-icing aircraft.
To prevent a logjam, inbound capacity will remain limited until outbound aircraft get off the ground, Eurocontrol cautioned. Issues at Schiphol may also be worsened by mist, fog, and low-level clouds in the morning, and strong winds in the afternoon and evening. For Wednesday, 101 departures and 109 arrivals have already been canceled.
No major issues were reported at the second-largest airport in Eindhoven as of 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The first four departures at the third largest, Rotterdam The Hague Airport, faced delays, according to the airport’s website.
“Due to winter conditions, there may be delays or cancellations at Rotterdam The Hague Airport today. We recommend keeping an eye on airline announcements,” the airport said in a statement.
