Busy early in Schiphol on the first day of Pentecost | the interior

On Sundays around 4:15 a.m. there’s a steady stream of travelers toward Departures 1 and 2, coming in from outside, but also via escalators from the direction of the parking garage. Despite the long queues, things go fairly smoothly at the check-in counters, after which travelers arrive in a long line of people towards customs.

Schiphol employees said earlier that they were factoring in a lively night from Saturday to Sunday. “I think it will be busier than Saturday morning, when it was intense,” said an anonymous employee earlier, who showed videos of that morning’s crowds with long lines and full escalators.

At the check-in counters, the mood among the passengers is very noisy. Many people check the labels on bags and suitcases for quick access. There is no real crowding, a large number of Schiphol staff direct passengers. However, the travelers are surprised and point to the upper floor above them, where the long path of people is making slow progress.

Schiphol employees also note that passengers experience crowds quietly. I didn’t have any travelers scolded today. This has been different lately. “People are frustrated, and sometimes they don’t express it well,” said a Schiphol employee.

Schiphol has struggled for weeks with a lack of organizational structure for staff, among other things, for security and handlers. Passengers often had to queue for hours, and on Sundays too, according to the staff, the “response time” seemed to be long.

Calm remains in the arrival halls. Few trips to come.

The airport is now working on solutions to problems. Last Wednesday, Schiphol, along with labor unions, already introduced a package of measures to combat staffing shortages. Since Friday, the rule applies that passengers can only enter the departure lounge if their flight departs within four hours. Entry only 4 hours before the flight time. Arrive only 4 hours before your flight. Thank you, many banners read.