TUI, Sunweb release more plans to address Schiphol crowding; Rotterdam Airport slots fill up

Holidaymakers who booked with travel organization TUI and will fly on a TUI Fly aircraft will be able to go on holiday as planned. TUI travelers flying on other airlines like Transavia and KLM for their holiday will have to wait and see which flights those airlines cancel, TUI said in a statement. Meanwhile, Sunweb announced it won’t cancel any itineraries for the travel agency’s customers, though some modifications to their trips may be needed.

Like other travel organizations and airlines, TUI must reduce the number of travelers using Schiphol. The airport hopes to cope with summer crowds by reducing passenger numbers.

TUI said it regrets Schiphol's decision to significantly reduce the number of passengers in the busy summer months. Also because many people are still insecure about whether their holiday will happen. TUI said that the vast majority of its TUI Fly holiday flights will still depart from Amsterdam. For the rest, TUI will make use of regional airports.

"We are currently putting together a complicated puzzle, which results in us being able to carry out all the flying holidays with a TUI fly flight. We can also report that all holidays to the ABC islands and the Caribbean with a TUI Fly flight will depart from Schiphol."

In addition to holidays with TUI Fly flights, the company also offers package holidays with flights from Transavia, KLM, and other airlines. TUI could not say how many of its customers flying with different airlines will be impacted. "We have not yet received complete and detailed information and are unable to estimate the impact of the adjustments that they will make."

TUI will inform customers about what exactly is happening from the beginning of next week. The agency urged travelers not to contact the company but wait for their message.

Sunweb will push ahead with all holidays from July 7 to August 14

Travel organization Sunweb will carry out all holidays that were scheduled for July 7 to August 14. According to the parent company, a small portion of its clients will have to deal with some sort of modification.

Approximately 1 percent of their total summer season passengers will have to deal with an adjustment. This can include shifting the itinerary by one calendar day.

Travelers may also have to fly from an airport other than Schiphol. This can include clients of Sunweb, but also those with its other brands, like Eliza Was Here, GOGO, and Primavera.

“We have done our utmost to provide clarity to our customers as quickly as possible, and I am therefore happy to say that we can carry out all holidays booked for the period 7 July to 14 August," said CEO Mattijs ten Brink van Sunweb. The holidays that are now on sale on the company’s various websites are also current, including those with departures via Schiphol, he said. "These can therefore be safely booked by our customers. If the situation changes again at a later time, we will provide a good and fully-fledged alternative, just like now," promised Ten Brink.

Sunweb was among the companies that had to cobble together changes to achieve the requested reduction in the number of travelers at Schiphol. Sunweb uses the services of Transavia for its holiday flights. More information will be announced in mid-July about the number of Transavia flights that may be operated from Schiphol between mid-August and the end of August. Sunweb emphasized that it also offers travel from other airports in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

Rotterdam The Hague Airport runs out of slots

Rotterdam The Hague Airport has filled its final available flight movement slots on its summer schedule. This means that the airport cannot take over any extra flights from Schiphol Airport to relieve its crowding issues until the end of August.

The final places were mainly filled by TUI Fly. Corendon previously moved flights to Rotterdam, as well.

There was great interest in the remaining slots at Rotterdam The Hague Airport. A spokesperson said he could have filled the final spots twice over. He did not say which other companies wanted to claim the slots. It also concerned companies that have not used the regional airport in the past.