KLM cancels 100+ flights due to ground crew strike at Amsterdam airport

Travel disruptions hit Amsterdam Schiphol airport Wednesday (Sept. 17) after Dutch airline KLM cancelled more than one hundred flights due to a ground crew strike.

“Are you travelling to, from, or via Amsterdam Airport Schiphol around Wednesday 17 September 2025? A strike has been announced by KLM ground staff and flight disruptions are expected,” the airline wrote in an alert posted to its website.

Members of the CNV and FNV unions will stop working Wednesday in an ongoing dispute with KLM over “unfair” working conditions and collective bargaining agreements.

Customers should keep an eye out for the latest updates on their flights.

The airline says that anyone whose flight is cancelled, or who misses a connection, will automatically be placed on the next available service.

“As this action may affect quite some passengers, rebooking may take longer than usual,” wrote KLM on this guidance page.

The airline is urging customers to update the contact details in their booking via the KLM app or My Trip “to ensure we can keep you informed of any changes.”

Customers who want to change their travel details, or request a refund, can do so using the self-serve options listed here. 

Progressive extension of strike time

Wednesday’s ground crew strike took place between 8 a.m. and Noon (local time).

 “We're gradually increasing the strikes from two, to four, to six, and then eight hours. This is partly to give KLM the opportunity to present a reasonable proposal. It's also to demonstrate to the court that union action at Schiphol can be conducted safely,” said the union FVN in statement.

In total, KLM was forced to cancel 104 flights, amounting to 15 per cent of its scheduled departures on Sept. 17. Another 13 flights faced significant delays, reports say.

Amsterdam Schiphol airport told travellers on Tuesday (Sept. 16): “Unions have announced that a large portion of KLM's ground staff will temporarily stop work on Wednesday, 17 September, from 08:00 to 12:00.

“This may have consequences for your flight. Please bear in mind that your flight may be delayed, changed or cancelled.”

The walkout comes after industrial action by KLM employees last week. On Sept. 10, a two-hour strike by the airline’s ground staff disrupted travel for 27,000 passengers.

The strike is likely to upend travel plans for many.

KLM's home base at Schiphol serves as a major hub for its European operations and for the broader Air France-KLM Group.

The airline’s network includes hundreds of flights within Europe, and the airport is crucial for connecting passengers to destinations with Europe and across the continent.

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