Schiphol is always ready when Father Winter arrives! Schiphol, Air Traffic Control, the airlines and KNMI prepare ourselves as much as possible. The aircraft are sprayed with an anti-icing fluid to remove any excess ice. Schiphol’s snow ploughs ensure that the runways and aircraft holding areas are completely free of snow and ice.
One hundred special snow-and-ice vehicles, such as large snow ploughs, work day and night to ensure that all aircraft can arrive and depart as normal. It’s fun to know that even Schiphol’s office staff are trained to support the snow ploughs – the ‘polar bears’ as we call them help to keep the roads clear and passable. The 'polar bears' are 135 well-trained Amsterdam Airport Schiphol employees who ordinarily fulfill a wide range of roles, from secretaries to manager and advisers. After a special training, they become polar bears.
Yesterday our colleagues defied the cold, to keep the airport as snow-free as possible. Thanks to their efforts, aircraft experienced little hindrance. Watch the video below:
