Snow causes 5 days of travel chaos in Amsterdam, with over 2,500 flights canceled and planes left taxiing for hours

Group 1: Flight Cancellations and Disruptions - Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport has experienced significant flight cancellations due to snow, with over 2,500 flights canceled from last Friday to Tuesday, resulting in a cancellation rate that rose from 28% to over 50% of all scheduled flights by Monday [1][2] - The airport, handling over 66 million passengers annually, is the fourth-busiest in Europe and serves as a major hub for transcontinental travel [1] Group 2: Impact on Airlines - KLM, the Dutch flag carrier, reported ongoing disruptions due to winter weather, with expectations of continued adverse conditions in the coming days [5] - An Emirates Airbus A380 faced a three-hour delay on the tarmac after landing before being able to move to its assigned gate, ultimately departing for Dubai seven hours late [5] Group 3: Operational Challenges - Incoming flights experienced diversions during peak weather conditions, including flights from Air Canada, KLM, and Garuda Indonesia, which had to land in alternative airports [6] - Flights still departing from Schiphol faced average delays of nearly two hours, primarily due to queues for de-icing, which takes about 30 minutes per aircraft [7][8]