The number of people using Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport was down 8.4% in 2009, due partly to the economic crisis and an extra tax on flying which was scrapped in July.

In total, 43.5 million passengers moved through the airport. This year, passenger numbers will rise 0.6% but not before things get even worse, Schiphol CEO Jos Nijhuis said on Monday. ‘We have almost reached the lowest point,’ news agency ANP quoted him as saying.
Total aircraft movements were down 8.7% while freight shipments fell 18.4% to 1.3 million tonnes.
Nijhuis declined to comment on the airport’s financial performance but did say the final quarter was better than expected, ANP said.
Schiphol passenger numbers fell 0.8% in 2008.