KLM Cancels 20 Flights a Day Until the End of August

KLM (EPA:AIRF) has announced that it will cancel up to 20 flights a day in Europe until the end of August as staff shortages at the Dutch carrier and its main hub in Amsterdam lead to "relentless" operational pressures.

The airline said it will cancel 10 to 20 daily flights to an unspecified number of European destinations until August 28. The company added that the move is aimed at restoring "stability" both in the company and at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport. "KLM is confident that these measures will ensure the smooth operation of inbound and outbound flights in the coming weeks," the company said in a statement on Friday. According to KLM, seat sales to European cities will be "strongly restricted" in order to make room for customers who rebooked when their flights were canceled. Freight cargo will also no longer be booked to reduce the workload on ground handling staff at Schiphol. KLM, part of the airline group that also includes the French flag carrier Air France (Air France KLM SA), emphasized that all these measures are temporary. Schiphol Airport had previously announced that it would limit passenger numbers this summer to reduce disruptions caused by staff shortages. Meanwhile, KLM is in labor negotiations with ground crew unions over working conditions at Schiphol, with workers threatening to go on strike if their demands are not met. Airports around the world have recently experienced long queues and flight delays as increased passenger demand has put pressure on airlines and hubs struggling to compensate for staff reductions due to the pandemic.