Amsterdam's Schiphol airport reported a net profit Friday of 65 million euros ($64.8 million) in the first six months of the year as passenger numbers soared despite post-pandemic staff shortages that led to huge lines and piles of luggage.
The busy aviation hub had a net loss of 140 million in the first half of 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic that slammed the brakes on air travel around the world.
Passenger numbers also soared as the aviation industry worldwide rebounded strongly from the pandemic. Schiphol had 23.8 million passengers in the first half of the year, up from 5.6 million in the same period last year. Schiphol Group, which also includes smaller airports in Rotterdam and Eindhoven, handled 27.3 million passengers in the year's first six months.
“It is great to see that so many passengers are back after the lifting of COVID travel restrictions. Unfortunately, staff shortages have impacted Schiphol in this period of steep growth, like other airports and airlines,” Schiphol CEO Dick Benschop said in a statement.
He said that the airport's “service level is improving step by step” and pledged to continue to invest in infrastructure and make changes in the running of the airport where necessary."
