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Schiphol Disruptions Enter Fifth Day as Snow Grounds Hundreds of Flights

De-icing constraints are stalling recovery across transportation networks.

Cars drive around a curve in a snow covered forest of the Taunus region near Frankfurt, Germany, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Freshly fallen snow lies on the roofs of houses in Kronberg near Frankfurt, Germany, early Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Republican Guards walk in the snow covered courtyard of the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
A person cycles in snow, on a bridge over an ice-covered river channel in Amsterdam, amid air, train, and road traffic disruptions caused by snowfall, as hundreds of flights were cancelled and trains came to a standstill, in the Netherlands, January 5, 2026. REUTERS/Charlotte Van Campenhout

Overview

  • More than 2,500 flights have been canceled since Friday, with over 400 grounded on Tuesday and trackers warning cancellations could reach 50–60% of the day’s schedule.
  • KLM says de-icing fluid stocks are running low after using about 85,000 liters per day, with four de-icing pads at full capacity and typical de-icing taking around 30 minutes per aircraft.
  • The Dutch rail operator NS halted all domestic services early Tuesday due to an IT outage compounded by frozen points before resuming limited operations around Amsterdam later in the morning.
  • French authorities report at least five weather-related road deaths, several smaller airports closed, and Paris planning to cut Wednesday morning flights by 40% at Charles de Gaulle and 25% at Orly.
  • Schiphol and airlines caution that only limited operations are possible, advise passengers to check before traveling, and note rebooking delays, with one KLM A321neo taxiing for nearly 150 minutes before its flight was canceled.