KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is reportedly facing a shortage of de-icing fluid at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) after five consecutive days of snowstorms. Reuters reports that KLM has dispatched employees to its main supplier in Germany to obtain additional de-icing fluid, though it remains unclear how long the current stock will last.

The shortage arises as the airline continues intensive de-icing operations, using approximately 85,000 liters of fluid to keep aircraft operational during severe winter conditions. Since January 2, 2026, the Dutch flag carrier has been forced to cancel nearly 2,400 flights, most of them from its AMS hub, according to tracking data from Flightradar24.

De-icing Fluid Shortage At AMS

The continuous snowfall has unexpectedly disrupted KLM’s operations at its main hub, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. The carrier is working “around the clock” to maintain service, but according to the report, its 25 de-icing trucks are operating continuously and still cannot prevent operational disruptions. De-icing is the process of removing snow, ice, or frost from the surface of an aircraft before takeoff, using mechanical means (scraping, hot air) or chemical fluids (glycol-based mixtures).

KLM has also cautioned that its de-icing fluid supply could run out soon if additional stock is not obtained, noting that the issue is currently “widespread across Europe.” Significant snowfall of this magnitude is relatively uncommon in the Netherlands, while countries such as Finland are better prepared for sustained winter conditions due to their climate. In a statement to Reuters, the carrier’s spokesperson said:

“Since Friday, KLM has been de-icing aircraft at Schiphol around the clock using de-icing fluid delivered daily. Due to a combination of extreme weather conditions and delays in supply from the provider, stock levels are running low.”

Nearly 2,400 Flights Canceled

The new year has got off to a challenging start for AMS, with the Netherlands’ main air hub crippled by adverse winter weather for several days in a row. According to Flightradar24, a total of 2,374 of KLM’s flights have been canceled over the past five days, representing more than half of the airline’s scheduled operations.

The most significant disruptions are expected on January 7, 2026. Indeed, this Wednesday, approximately 600 flights are projected to be canceled (or 92% of its scheduled services), according to Flightradar24.

According to the data, 202 flights were canceled on January 2, 2026, with the number of cancellations gradually increasing. On January 3, 294 flights were canceled, followed by 398 on January 4. January 5 saw 463 cancellations, and January 6 recorded 417.

KLM’s Two-Hour Taxi To Nowhere

Amid the ongoing disruptions, one KLM flight scheduled to depart from Amsterdam Schiphol to the United Kingdom never actually took off. Instead, the aircraft remained on the ground, taxiing in two wide loops around the airfield, each with slight variations on the western side of its anticlockwise path, before returning to a gate more than two hours later.

In its advisory, the country’s largest airport stated that « due to persistent winter weather, only limited air traffic is possible to and from Schiphol. Our snow crews are working around the clock to keep the runways clear, and aircraft are being carefully de-iced. » After the Airbus A321neo’s two-hour taxi to nowhere, flight KL1003 was eventually canceled alongside the return leg from London Heathrow Airport (LHR), with PH-AXA not taking to the skies until later.

KLM is the dominant operator at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, with over 57.85% of the facility’s scheduled departures this month (9,816 out of 16,967) according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company. As such, it has been the worst-affected airline by the adverse weather that has plagued the Dutch hub since the turn of the new year.