Airlines, tour operators and holiday companies are struggling to bring thousands of Dutch holidaymakers who have been stranded abroad back to the Netherlands, as borders and airspace close and countries go into lockdown.

According to the Telegraaf, between 30,000 and 40,000 people on organised package tours are still abroad, most of whom are in winter sun destinations such as the Canary Islands, Morocco and the Dutch Caribbean.

But tens of thousands of other people are travelling independently in far flung places and they too are struggling to find a way home. Phone lines are busy and websites are overloaded with visitors, only increasing the sense of panic, the paper said.

Transavia has carried out an extra 36 flights to date to bring people home, while TUI and Corendon are also operating extra services.

KLM is also planning to operate repatriation flights to Peru, India, Colombia, Costa Rica and the Philippines in the coming days.

Are you stuck trying to get back to the Netherlands, or are you in the Netherlands and want to go home? We’d like to hear from you. editor@dutchnews.nl