Update January 3 19:00 GMT – KLM has cancelled hundreds of flights at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport on Sunday due to severe winter weather, causing renewed disruption for passengers and highlighting ongoing operational challenges at the Dutch hub.
According to KLM, a total of 295 flights were cancelled on Sunday. The disruption follows significant flight losses earlier in the weekend: on Friday, the airline cancelled 114 flights scheduled for Saturday, with an additional 73 flights cancelled on Saturday itself. Alongside the cancellations, Schiphol also experienced widespread delays over the three-day period.
Aviation News January 2 – Schiphol Airport expects hundreds of flight cancellations again tomorrow as winter weather continues to disrupt air traffic, affecting thousands of passengers and holidaymakers traveling via the Dutch hub.
The airport said ongoing snowfall, icing conditions, and an unfavourable wind direction are forcing airlines to cancel large numbers of departures and arrivals, while hundreds of delays are also anticipated as ground and air operations remain constrained.
The disruptions follow severe winter conditions across the Netherlands, with Schiphol confirming that airlines were informed of the expected capacity reductions in advance. The measures are aimed at maintaining operational safety during periods of heavy snow and freezing temperatures, with airlines responsible for notifying passengers of cancellations. Similar disruptions were recorded earlier this week as winter weather tightened its grip on the region.
Operationally, snow and ice significantly slow airport processes. Aircraft require de-icing before departure, runways must be cleared repeatedly, and strong or shifting winds can limit runway availability, reducing the number of safe take-offs and landings per hour. These factors combine to sharply lower Schiphol’s overall capacity during winter storms.
