Operational chaos at Schiphol

26 August 2025

Cargo handling at Schiphol has been under pressure for weeks. The main cause is the major problems at Dnata, one of the world’s largest air freight service providers. On top of the disruptions at Air France KLM Cargo and instability in the Middle East, these developments are causing lengthy delays and a lack of insight. This article tells you about the impact this has on your cargo.

Relocation postponed

Schiphol experienced another significant drop in cargo traffic in July. Due to handling and processing issues, transshipment fell by almost 80,000 tonnes to just over 800,000 tonnes in the first seven months of this year, compared to the same period last year.

One major cause was Dnata’s relocation to a new and fully automated freight centre. The air freight service provider’s current location is too small, and the newly constructed premises offer more space and capacity for growth. The entire move was supposed to take place in July, but it became clear immediately that a large part of the handing systems in the new premises were not functioning properly, causing chaos in freight processes at Schiphol.

Dnata has again been given an extension of several months for the move, leaving several customers – including Emirates Cargo, China Cargo Airlines and China Eastern Airlines – in the old warehouses for the time being.

Automation has led to disruption

Dnata will be using an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) in the new freight centre, aimed at increasing efficiency, speed and security of cargo handling at Schiphol. However, the relocation and transition to the new system have caused an untold number of operational problems. This included systems outages and incorrect shipment processing, as well as automatic notifications not always arriving properly. As a result, there is a significant rise in delays at Schiphol.

Dnata acknowledges that the last few months have been problematic, but is actively working in resolving the current issues. The situation has stabilised somewhat since the beginning of August: systems are functioning better, quality has improved, and delays have been much reduced. Nonetheless, our Oude Meer office is still not receiving automatic updates. This affects the planning and processing of your shipments and deliveries, and as such, could possibly disrupt the rest of your supply chain.

Increasing pressure and instability in the Middle East

In the meantime, Air France KLM Cargo has also implemented a new system, which could possibly cause extra delays when handling your air freight shipments. As a result, forwarders are currently forced to wait two to three days before the cargo can be collected.

In addition, instability in the Middle East is still responsible for an increase of air freight shipments from Pakistan. Singapore Airlines Cargo has now decided to let competitor Swissport temporarily handle its cargo. In collaboration with our carrier at Schiphol, we have also found a temporary solution to handle and process your shipments as quickly as possible.

For larger cargo from 3000 kg upwards, we can offer Sea-Air transport: a combination of sea freight and air freight that is faster than sea freight and more economical than air freight. We will fully tailor this solution to your planning and budget, giving you more certainty about transit times and costs.

Consequences for shipping agents

Although we normally aim to have your shipment ready within an hour, we now see delays of up to eight hours in some cases. This could even worsen at the end of August, when other major airlines are also set to switch to the new system. We ask for your understanding during this time.

Once the new systems are fully operational and stable, your shipments will be processed faster and more reliably, giving you more insight into and control over your cargo. As your shipping agent, we will actively keep you updated during this unsettled period. Thanks to short lines of communication, direct availability of contacts, and our global network, we can ensure that there’s always a plan B to keep your supply chain moving, even during disruptions at Schiphol.

If you have any questions about your specific shipment, please do not hesitate to contact us. Your dedicated Ritra Cargo contact will be happy to help.