Air travel chaos at Amsterdam Schiphol: What’s happening now & why it won’t be fixed soon
January 7, 2026
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport—the Netherlands’ main airport and one of Europe’s busiest hubs—has been engulfed in severe travel disruption for the sixth straight day. Heavy snowfall, strong winds, and freezing conditions have disrupted airport operations, resulting in thousands of flight cancellations and delays.
KLM runs short of deicing fluid as cancelled flights ripple throughout the network
Over the past week, airlines, led by Dutch flagship KLM, which is based at Schiphol, have cancelled hundreds of flights daily. More than 700 flights were cancelled on Wednesday alone, with Schiphol warning that further cancellations were expected. As the airport stated in an advisory, “due to persistent winter weather and heavy winds, only limited air traffic is possible to and from Schiphol.”
As Reuters reported, severe weather has also strained deicing operations. KLM has been deicing aircraft continuously, using approximately 85,000 litres of fluid per day, and supplies are now critically low. While the airline could not confirm when its current stock would run out, KLM sent staff to its German supplier to procure additional deicing fluid.
“We are doing everything we can,” KLM spokesperson Anoesjka Aspeslagh told Reuters.
The diversion of inbound flights and a backlog of crews and aircraft not where they were intended to be means the travel disruption extends beyond Schiphol itself. Many passengers have been left stranded, facing long waits in terminals or scrambling to arrange alternative travel.
Why the AMS chaos is not going away this week
Forecasts indicate continued snow and strong winds in the Amsterdam region over the coming days. Snow accumulation and crosswinds limit the airport’s ability to safely manage flight operations. Ground handling resources are constrained, and runway clearing is slower.
Once an airport loses capacity, the backlog can take days to clear. Aircraft and crew become mismatched across routes. Even after the weather improves, these network strains linger as aircraft are repositioned and crews rescheduled.
Delays at Amsterdam ripple into other key European hubs, further complicating scheduling and aircraft positioning. Airlines are making proactive cancellations to prevent further disruptions, but this also keeps the system congested with passengers who need to reach their planned destinations.
Peak travel period puts added pressure on Amsterdam
This disruption comes at a time of high passenger volumes following the holiday travel period. Many flights were fully booked, meaning alternatives for stranded travellers are limited. Hotels near major airports are filling fast, complicating overnight accommodations for affected passengers. High demand exacerbates the challenge of rebooking and accommodating passengers, slowing recovery.
Practical tips for travellers in Amsterdam this week
Those who had planned to travel via Amsterdam this week should:
- Check flight status before heading to the airport. Updates from Schiphol Airport and the airlines operating there are frequent and fluid.
- Contact your airline early to ask about rebooking or refund options.
- Expect long waits at check-in, security, and boarding, even after the weather clears, due to the backlog.
- Plan for possible overnight stays if your flight is cancelled at the last minute.
The air travel chaos at Amsterdam Schiphol is the result of several days of severe winter weather, which is outside the control of airlines and the airport. The compounding crisis has reduced the volume of air traffic that can safely land or take off from Schiphol, strained airport operations, and created airline operational backlogs that will take days to clear.
Because the weather is not forecast to improve over the coming days, conditions are unlikely to normalise this week, and passengers should prepare for ongoing disruptions. Those for whom travel to and from Amsterdam is optional should make other plans.
Featured Image: Jason Wells / stock.adobe.com
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