In the next few days, Schiphol Airport will reimburse airlines €350 for each customer whose trip is canceled.
As part of the airport authority’s aims to reduce lines for security checks and baggage issues, the action is meant to encourage airlines to start canceling flights and reduce passenger numbers.
This policy serves as a band-aid to assist airlines while talks regarding a more organized reduction in passenger numbers are ongoing. According to the airport administration, that will take about two weeks.
In order to alleviate long wait times, Schiphol stated earlier this month that passenger numbers needed to be reduced by about 9,000 per day for the following six weeks.
In an effort to increase hiring, Schiphol offered security guards a bonus of more than €5 per hour during the busy summer months. However, the program was discontinued at the beginning of September.
According to union representatives, maintaining the bonus may ultimately be less expensive than paying airlines a fee for each passenger.