Passengers travelling through Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport were warned to expect delays and cancellations on Friday as some baggage handlers and check-in staff went on indefinite strike.

Unions said some 10% to 20% of staff at the passenger services firm Menzies’ followed the call for industrial action in support of a 3.5% pay claim after a court in Utrecht ruled that the strike was lawful.
Workers are calling for pay to be brought into line with other baggage handlers at the airport. Of the five passenger service companies, Menzies pays the least, a spokesman for De Unie told NOS tv. The company has offered a 1.5% rise.
Menzies provides baggage and check-in services for some 27 airlines using Schiphol, including EasyJet, Alitalia, Corendon, Cathay Pacific, Delta and Japan Airlines.
The strike comes on what Schiphol says is a ‘very busy day’ with some 145,000 passengers expected to move through the airport, including many returning from the May holiday period.
On its website the airport warns passengers to be aware of delays and ‘possible cancellations’ at the affected airlines.
According to NOS tv, holidaymakers travelling with charter airline Arkefly have been particularly hard hit although only a handful of flights have been delayed for more than six hours.
Schiphol said it expects delays to mount up as the strike continues.