KLM, easyJet, and Kuwait Airways cancel 278 flights at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

Disruption overview

A major multi-airline breakdown at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) on 23 April 2026 saw KLM, easyJet, and Kuwait Airways cancel 278 flights while 9 more were significantly delayed. The disruption hit busy routes to Paris and London as well as long-haul services to New York and Dubai, leaving thousands of passengers facing long rebooking lines, overnight stays, and very limited spare seats out of Amsterdam.

Disruption details

At Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) on 23 April 2026, KLM, easyJet, and Kuwait Airways canceled 278 flights and a further 9 flights were significantly delayed. For thousands of passengers, this meant long rebooking lines, overnight hotel stays, and missed onward connections across Europe, North America, and the Gulf.

The disruption built through the morning and afternoon departure waves as the 3 airlines pulled aircraft from service on busy European routes and several long-haul departures. By the end of the day, 287 flights had been affected in total, leaving little room for a quick recovery.

The hardest-hit markets included:

• Amsterdam–Paris and Amsterdam–London lost a large share of KLM and easyJet departures.

• Long-haul services to New York and Dubai were also canceled by KLM and Kuwait Airways.

• Departure boards in both the Schengen and non-Schengen piers cleared rapidly, with disrupted passengers facing very limited rebooking options.

This was especially difficult because several airlines were cutting capacity at the same time. Usually, passengers can be moved to another carrier when one airline runs into trouble. At Schiphol, that often wasn't possible, and the shortage of spare seats quickly added pressure to customer-service desks and later departures.

Within hours, departure boards across the airport had emptied out. The impact spread far beyond Amsterdam as travelers lost onward connections to other parts of Europe, North America, and the Gulf, and many were forced into overnight stays because replacement seats were so limited.

For KLM, the cancellations were part of a wider cutback already underway. The airline had announced plans to remove 150–160 intra-European flights in the coming weeks because of high jet fuel prices and regional airspace restrictions. The disruption also included a newly announced suspension of the Amsterdam–Dubai service, which is expected to stay in place until at least mid-June.

easyJet was also trimming its Netherlands-to-UK schedule as high fuel costs squeezed margins. Kuwait Airways said it was pulling its Amsterdam rotation because of heightened Middle East security concerns. Those separate decisions landed on the same day and left little spare capacity across the airport.

Schiphol staff reported overcrowded service counters, not enough rebooking inventory, and knock-on delays to later flights. No end-of-day recovery was possible, and KLM warned that disruption could continue into 24 April 2026 as aircraft and crews were repositioned. Travelers were advised to check flight status directly with their airline and expect limited seat availability out of Amsterdam for at least 24 hours.

There were no reported weather, air traffic control, or airport infrastructure failures behind the disruption. That matters for passengers, because when cancellations or long delays are caused by airline decisions, EC 261 can apply. If your flight from Amsterdam was canceled at short notice or arrived more than 3 hours late, you could be entitled to up to 600€ compensation.

The main exception may be flights withdrawn for security reasons, where different rules can apply. Even so, airlines still have to offer support during disruption, including rerouting or a refund, food and refreshments during long waits, and hotel accommodation if you're stranded overnight. You don't have to work it out on your own. If you were affected, you can check your compensation with AirHelp's free flight checker in just 2 minutes.

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