Travellers stranded at Dutch airports and schools closed amid snow chaos

As the snowy weather continues, another code orange has been issued for the Netherlands and transport struggles continue. More flights at Schiphol have been cancelled, leaving travellers stranded for yet another day, several schools are closed, fewer Dutch trains are running and municipalities are battling a salt shortage.

Code orange issued for the Netherlands as snow chaos continues

The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) has bumped up the weather warning from a code yellow to a code orange for Wednesday, January 7. The code orange applies to the whole of the Netherlands, except the Wadden Islands, from 8am until 2pm. 

According to KNMI, the patch of snow that is moving across the country on Wednesday will cause slippery conditions and visibility issues on roads, cycle paths and sidewalks. Up to 10 centimetres of snow is expected. After the code orange ends, the code yellow will remain in place for the whole of the Netherlands until Friday morning. 

More than 700 flights cancelled at Schiphol Airport

A very limited number of flights are coming and going out of Schiphol Airport. Indeed, the Dutch airport already cancelled more than 700 flights early on Wednesday morning as a precaution due to the “persistent winter weather and heavy winds”.

For many air travellers, this is yet another day that they are left stranded in the Netherlands. "I've been here since Friday," one frustrated passenger told AT5. "We're not getting any good information, and I just don't know what to do."

Terminals aren’t the only place where passengers are facing frustrations; some travellers have also had the misfortune of being stuck on stationary planes for hours with uncertainty about whether the plane will actually take off or just be cancelled like the rest. Schiphol has set up bunk beds at terminals for passengers who are unable to go to hotels.

To make matters worse, the Dutch airport is facing a shortage of de-icing fluid needed to ensure planes can fly. KLM is trying to source more of the essential fluid from Germany.

Snowy weather continues to impact the Netherlands

Dutch public transport is also feeling the effects of the snow. Dutch rail operator NS announced that fewer trains will be running on several routes due to the winter weather. Passengers should expect delays, crowding and “more frequent transfers”.

Many municipalities have also warned that salt supplies are running low, including Heiloo, Bergen and Leiderdorp. Main roads will be the priority, so residents have been advised to only go out on the roads when absolutely necessary and to buy salt for their own pavements.

Many Dutch schools closed on Wednesday for snow day

Several schools have noticed that many students are struggling to get to class due to transport problems caused by the snow this week. With more snow expected on Wednesday, many schools have opted to close their doors for the day, reports AD.

Some universities are also closed, only offering online lessons during the snow day. However, this does not apply to all schools in the Netherlands, so residents should pay attention to any communication from their institutions.