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Update: AMS has extended the eligible period for missed flight compensation until October 31, 2022. Passengers who missed flights from 8/12/22-10/31/22 have until November 30, 2022 to submit a compensation claim.
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) Will Compensate Some Passengers Who Missed Flights due to long security lines, despite arriving at their airlines' recommended arrival time (typically three hours in advance for international flights, but can vary by airline). It's a unique and temporary scheme that so far hasn't been offered by other airports, such as London Heathrow LHR, that have also been unable to handle passenger demand (LHR reduced passenger numbers by instituting a capacity cap of no more than 100,000 passengers per day, a cap that is in effect until at least 9/11/22). Amsterdam Schiphol's own capacity cap was 67,500 passengers per day in July 2022, rising to 72,500 per day in August, then returning to 67,500 per day for September, before rising to 69,500 in October.
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How the Amsterdam Schiphol Compensation Scheme Will Work
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport's compensation isn't for passengers whose flights were delayed or cancelled by airlines, as these passengers must seek EC 261/2004 compensation from the airlines. Instead, compensation is strictly for passengers who were at the airport on time (per their airline's arrival time guidelines) yet, due to long security waits, missed their flight. Passengers must:
- Have booked a flight departing from Amsterdam Schiphol between 4/23/22 and 10/31/22
- Been at the terminal at the time specified by the airline (typically 3 hours in advance for international flights)
- Have missed the flight as a result of the unprecedented waiting times at security
- Have incurred costs, as a result of the missed flight, that are not being reimbursed by another party
- Submit their Amsterdam Airport compensation claim by November 30, 2022
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Allowable Expense Claims for Amsterdam Airport Compensation
As indicated in this document, allowable claims are ones that are solely, directly, and necessarily the result of missing a flight from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport:
- Costs due to rebooking the original flight or a replacement flight
- Reasonable costs for accommodation/meals at or near the airport due to the replacement flight's time of departure
- Reasonable costs for transport if the passenger needed to travel again to Schiphol or another airport
- Reasonable costs for alternative transportation (such as a train ticket) if the passenger traveled by other means
- Expenses incurred at the destination due to the passenger not arriving or arriving later, such as accommodation or transportation that could not be cancelled, prepaid activities
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The Caveats
Keep in mind there are some caveats: Schiphol can deny compensation for the following scenarios:
- Passenger received or could have received compensation from another party
- Costs that the passenger could have reasonably avoided
- Intangible losses
- Other types of consequential damage not explicitly permitted as above
- The passenger missed his/her flight due to circumstances that are at the “risk and expense of the passenger” (i.e. not directly due to a long security line)
- Bad faith compensation request
Also keep in mind that in addition to details of the flight and proof of expenses, applicants will need to provide some kind of proof of the time s/he was at Schiphol Airport, such as a train station check-out receipt, time stamped photo taken in the terminal, etc.
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The Upshot
Passengers who missed their flight from Amsterdam Schiphol between April 23-August 11, 2022 due to long security lines have a unique opportunity to be compensated for otherwise unreimbursed expenses from missing a flight due to security lines. To qualify, however, applicants will have to have documented their arrival time at the airport and have proof of their expenses.
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