Survival guide for Schiphol: ‘Stay in the here and now’ | Amsterdam
NewsAnyone who now thinks of Schiphol automatically envisions long queues. Travelers using the airport spend hours in it, and the end of this phenomenon seems far from in sight. Also for the summer feared of getting long. So the question is: how do you prepare?
Due to staff shortages, it has been extremely busy at Schiphol for weeks. Social media is teeming with photos and laments of travelers who have been queuing for hours. The crowds and chaos are mainly due to the fact that there are fewer security personnel than planned. The long queues logically cause irritation among travelers. What to do?
How many hours in advance?
Of course there are the obvious tips: check in online at home, be on time and take some food and drink with you. Schiphol also has additional recommendations on its own website: put on comfortable shoes and comfortable clothing, bring a jacket for outside in line and your water bottle can go through security. How many hours in advance you need to be at Schiphol really depends on the airline, let a voice know if requested. “Please get in touch with them. They have insight into, for example, what time their counters open to check in and drop off your luggage.”
Be careful with heroes of Schiphol
The latter was also argued by the travel industry organization ANVR. Director Frank Oostdam: “Don’t come too early either. Because that, in combination with the slow flow, creates extra drama. And for shorter trips: only take hand luggage with you.” Oostdam indicates that many people – especially after the pandemic – want to travel again so much that men are quite willing to wait. He still has an urgent appeal to those who cause trouble. “Be careful with the security guards and baggage handlers who are at work. I would even say: just embrace them. For me, those are the heroes of Schiphol.”
Stress is necessary
The fear of missing your flight makes many travelers nervous. Stress sociologist Suzan Kuijsten has a clear view on this. “Above all, stay in the here and now. Do not pre-sort on ‘what if…’. I don’t want to trivialize it, because I understand that people have saved up for a trip for a long time, for example. Only: stress is, we want to mirror each other’s behavior. You saw that with the hoarding of toilet paper at the beginning of the pandemic. But it also changes that positivity arises. So have fun with each other, talk to other travelers. Play games. Make some of it and let you be the light in the line!”
Or another airport of course
Another option is of course always to divert to another airport. Holidaymakers often opt for this. “Certainly with new bookings, travelers prefer, if possible, to depart from a regional or international airport,” according to travel industry organization ANVR. Oostdam says that holidaymakers do not yet choose to stay at home because of the crowds at Schiphol, but that this can happen. According to Oostdam, diverting to airports such as Rotterdam or Brussels can also partly relieve Schiphol. “But it’s a drop in a record.”
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