According to EU Helpers, Schiphol stated in a recent statement that such an increase is deemed necessary to make up for income losses sustained in 2022, a year characterized by decreased air traffic.
Robert Carsouw, the CFO of Schiphol, claims that the hike is necessary to keep both the airport's financial stability and service quality intact. Furthermore, he asserts that this strategy complies with the legal requirements.
The decrease in flights in 2022 was largely caused by staff shortages at the security firms using Schiphol. Schiphol was forced to impose limits on the amount of passengers that might depart at specific times of the year as a result of these shortages.
In June 2022, Schiphol Airport imposed a daily passenger cap in response to the ongoing problems with lengthy lines and cancelled flights, which were mostly caused by the significant increase in summer traffic.
Simultaneously, the authorities at the airport have underscored the competitive employment market, underscoring the dearth of security staff capable of overseeing the substantial influx of travelers anticipated for this year.
Strict legislative regulations govern how Schiphol's airport charges are determined. Put simply, Schiphol is not allowed to benefit from these costs.
As per the airport's statement, any excess revenue from airport fees that exceeds the costs incurred in providing airline services is given back to the airlines. Consequently, the airport fees for the following year are lowered. This happened in the recent past—between 2016 and 2019 especially.
The amenities and services that airlines pay Schiphol for are funded in part by the airport fees they pay. This includes crucial domains including runway care, security protocols, terminal maintenance, and cleaning services.
Between 2024 and 2027, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport plans to invest about €3 billion, with an emphasis on essential maintenance and enhancements. These plans include large-scale initiatives targeted at revitalizing various airport spaces, such as taxiways, aircraft stands, Pier C, the luggage bunker, climate control systems, and walkways.