279 flights delayed at Schiphol as security queues, border checks disrupt operations
A total of 279 departing flights were delayed at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport on Monday out of 679 scheduled departures, as long security screening lines formed following contractor transition, RTL reports. Separately, delays were reported due to a new border registration system affecting transfer passengers, creating widespread congestion and missed departures.
The disruptions came as three new security companies began operating at the airport, a change that officials and sources cited by De Telegraaf linked to insufficient staffing and issues with bringing new personnel up to speed.
Passengers said the bottlenecks quickly affected departures. One traveler told the newspaper, “Flights are delayed because passengers are arriving too late at the aircraft.”
In Departure Hall 2, fewer than half of the security lanes were open. In Departure Hall 3, only two of seven lanes were operating, according to passengers and sources cited by De Telegraaf. Parts of the security area in Departure Hall 3 were also largely closed off during the disruptions.
One passenger described it as being severely overcrowded. “This is a drama; everyone is worried about whether he or she will make the flight. I had to wait an hour and fifteen minutes. This is chaos,” the traveler told De Telegraaf. Another passenger said travelers were missing flights in large numbers.
Under normal conditions, Schiphol says security screening takes about 10 minutes, with a peak maximum of around 20 minutes.
“We are aware that security issues at Schiphol Airport may also affect our passengers and cause some delays,” a spokesperson for KLM told NL Times. The Dutch airline is the largest operating at the facility. “We urge our passengers to arrive at Schiphol Airport on time and to keep a close eye on the latest flight information.”
At the same time, transfer passengers arriving from outside the Schengen zone faced additional delays due to the rollout of the European Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires travelers who have not yet registered to use automated machines before continuing their journeys.
The disruptions follow a major reorganization of Schiphol’s security contracts, under which around 4,000 security employees switched employers after a new tendering process. The contract is valued at 6 billion euros over 10 years.
Labor unions have previously warned that such transitions could create operational instability, recalling the 2022 period of severe delays when staffing shortages led to long queues.
A source familiar with operations told De Telegraaf that procedural differences between security firms were contributing to inefficiencies. “Such a transition is a new procedure and a new way of working. Some companies have different work ethics, instructions, and corporate cultures that clash,” the source said. The source also cited planning issues, noting that scheduling systems were not fully aligned, leading to insufficient staffing calls.
