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Amsterdam Schiphol Airport during a snowfall on Jan. 5, 2025.
KLM says deicing fluid is running low at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the Dutch carrier’s base, while snow is causing flight disruptions at other airports around Europe.
“Since Friday, Jan. 2, KLM has been deicing aircraft at Schiphol around the clock using deicing fluid delivered daily,” the carrier said in a statement at 2:30 p.m. local time Jan. 6. “Due to a combination of extreme weather conditions and delays in supply from the provider, stock levels are running low. The supplier, based in Germany, is currently unable to guarantee timely replenishment. This challenge is currently widespread across Europe. KLM is doing everything possible to secure additional supply; for example, KLM will collect the fluid itself in Germany.”
KLM said it was responsible for deicing most aircraft at Schiphol, a process that uses a mixture of heated water and glycol. The deicing team of more than 100 KLM employees has used approximately 85,000 liters (22,455 gal.) per day over the past few days to clear aircraft.
“Every departing aircraft must be completely free of snow and ice before it can safely take off,” KLM said, noting that it operates a fleet of 25 deicing trucks, all of which have been in continuous use since Jan. 2.
In a later update, at 6:00 p.m. local time on Jan. 6, the Dutch carrier said that with persistent snowfall expected on the morning of Jan. 7, combined with strong winds, it had to cancel 600 flights scheduled for that day.
DGAC, the French civil aviation authority, following snow and ice warnings, has asked airlines to cancel 40% of flights at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. local time on Jan. 7, and 25% of flights at Paris Orly between 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Jan. 7.
The DGAC, which had issued a previous request for airlines to reduce flights at Paris airports Jan. 5, said that traffic had also been disrupted at Nantes Atlantique airport in the west of the country since Jan. 5 and that would continue through Jan. 7.
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