An employee at the check-in desk in Schiphol says he hopes it stays that way. “You see. It is already busy, but it is manageable. I hope it continues like this.”

Lately, passengers at Schiphol Airport have often had to queue for hours due to a lack of staff for security and baggage handling. As a result, flights were sometimes missed, and clashes occurred between frustrated travelers and security. Then the military police had to intervene.

On Wednesday, Schiphol, along with labor unions, introduced a package of measures to combat the staff shortage. There will be special additional charges, for example, security guards, cleaners, staff at check-in and baggage handlers, in order to make work more attractive. There are also campaigns to recruit more people.

A security guard in Schiphol says the extra cost should have come much earlier, because the staff shortage has been going on for some time. “But now the cameras are on them and sudden action is being taken. It’s late, of course, but I’m happy about that.”

There is a good chance that vacationers will have to rebook this summer: aviation journalist Yteke de Jong says on a new episode of the podcast Check In: