Strong winds put pressure on air traffic at Schiphol
Several flights were cancelled at Schiphol on Sunday morning as the KNMI warned of severe gusts.
Follow-up to: Storm Boelo brings further strong gusts Saturday, 24 October 2026, 07:43
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Flights were cancelled at Schiphol on Sunday morning. It is not clear whether the strong winds were the cause. The airport’s departures page lists cancellations, while the KNMI expects gusts of 75 to 90 kilometres per hour in coastal areas.
The disruption follows a KNMI warning of severe gusts in coastal areas and parts of South Limburg. In the northern coastal area, the strongest gusts could reach around 100 kilometres per hour, particularly during showers, according to the institute.
Several flights were shown as cancelled on Schiphol’s live departures page on Sunday morning. The listing of cancellations does not in itself say anything about their cause. The precise number of cancellations may still change during the day.
According to the KNMI, the wind is shifting from south-westerly to westerly. Weather conditions may cause disruption to traffic, particularly along the coast and on the Wadden Islands. The institute also expects periods of rain and showers there. According to the KNMI, a severe wind forecast of force 7 to 9 was in effect in coastal waters on Sunday morning.
The airport operates several runways, but which runways can be used depends, among other things, on wind direction, wind speed, visibility and safety rules. The Schiphol-Oostbaan is also temporarily out of service for maintenance. It is not clear what effect this maintenance is having on the cancellations.
The disruption is linked to the wider storm Boelo, which had already caused events to be cancelled and led to traffic problems. Rijkswaterstaat reported that the Netherlands had to prepare for strong winds and rain this weekend and that staff were ready to take measures where necessary.
Travellers would be wise to check their flight status directly with the airline and Schiphol. A KNMI warning says something about the expected conditions, but does not independently determine which flights will operate. Travellers should contact their airline for information about their own flight.
According to the KNMI, the strongest winds in the south-west will ease on Sunday evening. In the north of the country, severe gusts may continue into the night leading into Monday, according to the KNMI.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The KNMI has issued a yellow warning for severe gusts.
- Schiphol shows cancellations on its live departures page.
- The usability of runways depends partly on wind and safety.
- The Schiphol-Oostbaan is temporarily unavailable because of maintenance.
Left
Arguments The disruption shows that accessibility should not be measured only by the number of flights, but also by safety and the living environment. In extreme weather, the government should be cautious about flight movements and invest in resilient infrastructure and alternatives.
Values Safety, public responsibility and limiting climate damage.
Consequences Fewer flights may affect travellers and businesses, but prevent economic continuity from outweighing safety and climate targets.
Centre
Arguments The institutional approach is to monitor the current risks and decide on a flight-by-flight basis. A general closure is not necessary if the airport, air traffic control and airlines can adjust capacity.
Values Proportionality, expertise and predictable procedures.
Consequences Travellers retain access to transport while safety margins remain decisive. Clear communication about delays and cancellations is nevertheless needed.
Right
Arguments Airlines and the airport should be able to take responsibility for their own schedules. The government should issue warnings and not intervene beyond what is necessary.
Values Individual responsibility, economic continuity and limited government interference.
Consequences A flexible approach can limit economic damage, but requires travellers to check current information themselves and take the risks into account.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s core is based on current information from the KNMI and Schiphol. The exact number of cancellations was deliberately omitted because no sufficiently verifiable public source was available.
- confirmed The KNMI is warning on 25 October of severe gusts in coastal areas. — Current KNMI warning for Zuid-Holland and surrounding coastal areas. source
- confirmed The KNMI expects gusts of 75 to 90 kilometres per hour and locally around 100 kilometres per hour. — These ranges appear in the current warning. source
- confirmed Several flights are listed as cancelled at Schiphol on Sunday morning. — The live departures page lists cancelled flights. source
- confirmed The Schiphol-Oostbaan is temporarily out of service because of maintenance. — Schiphol’s outlook mentions maintenance through 27 October. source
- confirmed Rijkswaterstaat is preparing for strong winds and rain and is ready to take measures. — This is stated in Rijkswaterstaat’s reporting on the storm weekend. source
Editor's note
It is certain that the KNMI issued a warning for severe gusts on 25 October and that Schiphol’s live departures page lists cancellations. No independently verified exact total of the cancelled flights was available; we therefore give no number.Sources
- Waarschuwingen Zuid-Holland — KNMI
- Actuele vertrekgegevens Schiphol — Schiphol
- Onstuimig weer op komst: Rijkswaterstaat is voorbereid op wind en regen — Rijkswaterstaat
The story so far
- Saturday, 24 October 2026, 07:43 Storm Boelo brings further strong gusts
- Sunday, 25 October 2026, 09:43 Strong winds put pressure on air traffic at Schiphol (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- RTL Nieuws — „storm wind”
- NOS — „storm wind”
- Het Parool — „storm wind”