Code Orange snowstorm deepens disruption to KLM and Dutch transport network

Severe winter weather continues to significantly disrupt aviation and surface transport across the Netherlands, with the Dutch meteorological institute KNMI issuing a Code Orange warning for most of the country on Wednesday. Heavy snowfall of 3 to 7 centimetres, locally more, combined with freezing temperatures, strong winds and icy roads, is expected to cause widespread travel disruption and safety risks.

At Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, conditions have forced airlines—most notably KLM—to cancel large numbers of flights for a sixth consecutive day. KLM has already scrapped nearly 300 flights on Tuesday and around 600 flights for Wednesday, citing persistent snowfall, strong south-easterly winds and severe operational constraints. In total, about 60% of all scheduled flights at Schiphol for Wednesday have been cancelled, with airlines asked to consider further reductions as de-icing capacity remains under pressure.

KLM has been de-icing aircraft continuously since January 2, using around 85,000 litres of de-icing fluid per day with more than 100 staff and 25 trucks operating around the clock. Supply disruptions from Germany led to critically low stocks, prompting KLM to collect additional fluid itself; a new shipment was confirmed en route to the Netherlands on Tuesday evening. Despite these efforts, limited operational capacity means some passengers are being rebooked later in the week, rather than within hours as normally expected. KLM has warned of long wait times and apologised for the ongoing disruption.

The extreme weather is also affecting the wider transport network. Rijkswaterstaat has urged commuters to work from home, warning of a “very heavy” morning rush hour following days of congestion exceeding 900 km of traffic jams nationwide. The national rail operator NS is running a reduced winter timetable for the second day in a row, though services to and from Schiphol were severely curtailed on Tuesday due to frozen switches.

KLM has additionally cautioned passengers against fraud attempts, with scammers posing as customer support staff and offering fake compensation. Travellers are advised to use only official KLM channels via its website or app.

With temperatures feeling as low as -10°C overnight and snow expected to linger, authorities warn that disruption to aviation and transport is likely to continue. Safety remains the top priority for airlines and infrastructure operators as they closely monitor the evolving conditions.