Dutch Competition Watchdog OKs Schiphol Airport Charge Hikes

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has ruled that Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) can proceed with planned increases in airport charges over the next two years, despite objections from airlines.

Increases in AMS charges for 2023 took effect April 1. These include an average charge increase of 12%, including a 12% bump in both the passenger service charge (PSC) and aircraft parking charges; a 13.4% increase in landing and take-off charges; and a 12.1% rise in security service charges.

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Several airlines, including KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, expressed their concerns about the recent price increases, citing overcrowding at AMS during the summer of 2022 that caused flight disruptions and a temporary capacity limit at the airport.

“The complaints are based on, for example, the long lines at the security checkpoints in 2022, which were mainly the result of staff shortages,” ACM says in a statement. It notes Schiphol has outlined steps “taken to restore the quality of its services,” adding: “Schiphol expects that these measures, which mainly concern staffing, will, to a sufficient degree, restore the quality of service.”