KLM suspends all ticket sales in Amsterdam and prepares for another week of chaos

Dutch airline KLM said it would be suspending the sale of all tickets from Amsterdam Schipol airport until Monday May 30, this accounts for almost half of the airline’s departures.

The airlines said the suspension of ticket sales comes as lines at Schipol airport, Europe’s third busiest, have stretched out onto the streets in recent weeks forcing travelers to wait hours to clear security; the carrier has said this is a result of staff shortages.

Passengers at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport are facing continuing chaos this week with extremely long security queues and delays.

The airport has been the scene of flight disruption over the last month as it has coped with severe staff shortages.

Now trade unions representing staff at the overcrowded airport are threatening labour action on 1 June if their working conditions do not change. They say “something has to change” as both passengers and workers are literally falling over due to exhaustion from the ongoing disruption.