Passengers Told to Leave Luggage at Home if They Want to Make Flights Due to Staff Shortages

If passengers want to make their flights this weekend, they need to bring as little luggage as possible.

After the airport failed to keep up with the return in demand for air travel, the major European hub has stumbled recently. During the busy holiday weekend, passengers have faced delays and disrupted travel.

There are long wait times at the security checkpoint due to staff shortages. Reducing the amount of hand luggage will speed up the screening process.

The problems have gotten so bad that the Dutch flag carrier has had to cap the number of tickets sold for departures from Amsterdam so that passengers who miss their flights due to security holdups can be re booked on the next service.

Clearly annoyed that its sales are being hit by ongoing problems outside of its control, KLM called on other airlines to also cap passenger numbers.

In order to contribute to a manageable situation at the airport and in its own operations, the airline has initiated a number of actions.

A trial to load baggage onto flights at the last minute is being run by the airline. It's thought that it will make it easier to find luggage of passengers who miss their flights because they are stuck in the security line.

The airline appealed to their understanding in these exceptional circumstances, as it understood that passengers might face some unforeseen turns.

The airport signed an agreement with two major unions to make pay and working conditions more attractive in order to recruit more security staff.

Problems are likely to be sporadic and unpredictable during the summer season. Problems could still crop up over the next few months, as some airlines and airports warn that they are not immune to the current issues.

As an international flight attendant, Maszczynski worked at the most prominent airline in the Middle East and has been flying for a well-known European airline. He is an expert in passenger experience and human-centered stories. Some of the biggest names in journalism rely on Matt's industry insights, analysis and news coverage often.