Snow and winds: Hundreds of flights to Schiphol Airport canceled tomorrow; 100 flights have been canceled so far
Hundreds of flights are expected to be canceled again tomorrow at Schiphol Airport, as snow, freezing rain, and strong winds continue to disrupt air traffic across the Netherlands, following a day filled with cancellations and delays on Friday.
Airlines proactively canceled more than 100 flights on Saturday, while Schiphol Airport warned of continued delays due to the repeated need to remove ice from planes and bad weather conditions. According to the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), snowfall could locally reach 10 centimeters in central and eastern areas, while other regions may see up to 5 centimeters.
KLM and its subsidiary Transavia were mainly affected by the cancellations. As of Saturday, 58 departing flights and 50 arriving flights had been canceled, while dozens of other flights were delayed, especially long-haul flights coming from outside Europe. On Friday alone, Schiphol Airport recorded more than 300 canceled flights and about 600 delayed flights.
KLM reported that it is working to assist stranded passengers by providing hotel accommodations. A company spokesperson told ANP that those who book the hotel themselves will be reimbursed later. The European air traffic control center Eurocontrol also warned that strong winds associated with a low-pressure system known as Storm Anna will continue to affect Amsterdam, increasing the impact of snow and winter showers in the Benelux region.
The effects of the severe winter weather are not limited to Schiphol Airport alone, as Eindhoven and Rotterdam The Hague airports recorded several delays and some cancellations. At the same time, the Rijkswaterstaat (Public Works and Water Management) warned of slippery roads across the country and deployed special equipment for snow removal. The KNMI also extended the yellow weather warning Code Yellow due to ice until Saturday, extending into Sunday.