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"The terminal is too full at the moment ... Schiphol is calling
on travellers to not come to the airport anymore", airport
authorities said in a statement issued shortly before noon (1000
GMT).
"We are very sorry to have to do this, but it is necessary to
guarantee safety", an airport spokesperson told Reuters.
Police closed down highway exits to the airport on Saturday
afternoon as lines at departure gates stretched out of the
airport buildings.
Travellers were advised to stay away until at least 1300 GMT,
while airport staff work to get as many as possible of the
thousands of frustrated passengers aboard their often-delayed
flights.
Baggage handlers for KLM, the Dutch arm of airline Air
France-KLM, had early on Saturday gone on a previously
unannounced strike in demand for higher pay and better working
conditions.
KLM ground staff handle about half of all luggage coming through
Schiphol, Europe's third-busiest airport after Paris Charles de
Gaulle and London Heathrow.
Labour union FNV said the strike had ended around noon.
(Reporting by Anthony Deutsch; Writing by Bart Meijer; Editing
by David Holmes)
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