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Security Response at Amsterdam Airport Was False Alarm, Airline Says Amsterdam Airport Thrown Into Chaos by ‘False Alarm’
(32 minutes later)
The Dutch authorities said they were investigating a “suspicious incident” on a plane at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport on Wednesday, but an airline later said it was a false alarm. “False alarm,” the airline declared on Twitter — but by then it was too late.
The airport said on Twitter that the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, a branch of the Dutch military, was “investigating a situation on board” an unidentified plane. The federal police declined to provide details about why they were called to the airport, saying only that several gates were closed off. Military police officers, fearing a hijacking on Wednesday, had already swarmed onto the tarmac of Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, and air traffic controllers were scrambling flight schedules at one of Europe’s busiest air hubs.
“The only thing I can tell you is that the military police is investigating a suspicious situation,” Hans Van Kastel, an airport spokesman, said in an interview. Mr. Van Kastel said the situation began about 7 p.m. local time. But Air Europa, a Spanish carrier, said it was all a mistake. A warning system on one of its flights from Amsterdam to Madrid had been accidentally activated late in the day.
About an hour and a half later, the military police said on Twitter that the passengers and crew of the plane were safe but that the investigation was continuing. The airline Air Europa then said it was a false alarm on a flight from Amsterdam to Madrid. “Nothing has happened,” the airline said in a Twitter post more than an hour after the airport was partially shut down. “All passengers are safe and sound, and waiting to fly soon. We deeply apologize.”
How the alarm was set off Air Europa did not say. Nor did it say how many passengers had been affected. But it did have some good news: “Our flight UX1094 may take off shortly to Madrid.”
The “warning that triggers protocols on hijackings at the airport” was activated by mistake, the airline said. “Nothing has happened, all passengers are safe and sound waiting to fly soon. We deeply apologize.” Hans Van Kastel, an airport spokesman, said in an interview that the situation began about 7 p.m. local time, when the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, a branch of the Dutch military, were called to the airport to investigate “a suspicious situation.”
While early reports were coming in, Mark Rutte, the country’s prime minister did not alter his schedule, but monitored the situation from afar. “Something is going on, we are finding out what is going on,” he told reporters. “I hope it ends well.” The airline announced the false alarm shortly after the military police said on Twitter that the passengers and crew of the plane were safe, but that the investigation was continuing.
Images on social media showed sections of the airport closed off, with armed officers standing nearby and crowds of passengers waiting. As early reports came in, Mark Rutte, the country’s prime minister, did not alter his schedule, but he did say he was monitoring the situation. “Something is going on, we are finding out what is going on,” he told reporters. “I hope it ends well.”
Ewan MacIntosh arrived on a KLM flight from Hamburg, Germany, to a chaotic scene on the tarmac, as emergency responders swarmed one area and idling planes accumulated in others, he said in an online message. Images on social media showed sections of the airport closed off, with armed officers standing nearby and crowds of passengers waiting. The airport said that Terminal D had been temporarily closed because of the incident but that it reopened around 9 p.m.
“Pilot saying things are fairly chaotic — there’s no ground staff at all at this pier to help,” Mr. MacIntosh said. He said the pilot told passengers “there are lots of fire brigade, police and ambulances near the Pier D.” One passenger, Ewan MacIntosh, arrived on a KLM flight from Hamburg, Germany, to a scene of confusion on the tarmac. Emergency responders were swarming to one area, while idling planes accumulated in others, he said in an online message.
Mr. MacIntosh said his plane sat on the tarmac for 20 minutes while air traffic controllers found a place to put them. He said Terminal D looked “pretty closed off and empty.” “Pilot saying things are fairly chaotic — there’s no ground staff at all at this pier to help,” Mr. MacIntosh said. He said the pilot told passengers “there are lots of fire brigade, police and ambulances.”
“Lots of arriving flights needing to put somewhere,” he said. “No idea what new arrivals will do.” Mr. MacIntosh said his plane had sat on the tarmac for 20 minutes until a gate was found. Terminal D, he said, looked “pretty closed off and empty.”
After the airline’s sheepish twitter post, life returned to normal. Mr. MacIntosh said travelers were flooding back into the terminal D and making their way to delayed flights.