Inflation dips again, but remains high; Schiphol boss to explain crowd response

Sick leave dented the Dutch economy by more than 18 billion euros last year, according to insurance firm Nationale-Nederlanden. Coronavirus was among several causes of the increase, which also included longer periods of absenteeism, the insurer detailed in a report on developments in the field of absenteeism and work incapacity.

Last week, the Cabinet asked Schiphol “to report in detail in writing every week which actions it’s taking” to combat the extreme crowds and long queues at the airport, Minister Mark Harbers of Infrastructure said to parliament. According to him, the emphasis should be on attracting staff. Schiphol CEO Dick Benschop will go to parliament on Tuesday to explain the situation at the airport.

Train traffic between the Netherlands and Belgium will be hindered on Tuesday by a national strike in Belgium. NMBS, the Belgian counterpart of NS, advised travelers to consult the travel planners for current information about trains that have been canceled. Thalys canceled the Paris-Brussels-Dortmund train, but the fast trains between Amsterdam and Brussels are running largely on schedule.

Rotterdam The Hague Airport has received an official request from several airlines to allow them to move their flights from Schiphol to the regional airport. The requests came from airlines that operate holiday flights, a spokesperson said, without wanting to say which airline companies were involved. According to the spokesperson, “a decision on the request does not have to take very long.”