Amsterdam Schiphol Airport - Amsterdam, the Netherlands
N 52° 18.550 E 004° 45.788
31U E 620199 N 5796889
Schiphol is the Netherlands' main airport. Located south-west of Amsterdam, Schiphol is a European mainport, competing in passenger and cargo throughput with Heathrow, Frankfurt, and Roissy Charles de Gaulle.
Waymark Code: WM12T8
Location: Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Date Posted: 12/28/2006
Views: 265
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In 2005, Schiphol ranked fourth in Europe in terms of passenger traffic with 44,163,098 passengers, behind London Heathrow (67,915,403), Paris Charles de Gaulle (53,798,308) and Frankfurt International Airport (52,219,412). Almost 35% of its passengers travelled on intercontinental flights. In the same year Schiphol ranked third in terms of cargo with 1450 tons, behind Paris and Frankfurt.
Schiphol has 5 main runways, plus 1 used mainly by general aviation aircraft. The "fifth runway" (really the sixth) was completed in 2003. Plans have already been made for a seventh runway.
The airport is built as one large terminal split into three large departure halls, the most recent having been completed in 1994, which converge again once airside. There are plans for further terminal expansion.
Because of the intense traffic and high landing and parking fees at Schiphol, some low cost carriers decided to moved their flights to smaller airports, such as Rotterdam and Eindhoven. However, especially with the low-cost H-pier becoming operational, many low cost carriers (like easyJet, SkyEurope, and bmibaby) continue to operate from Schiphol.
Schiphol is the home base of KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines), Martinair and Transavia, and a hub for United States based Northwest Airlines.
Schiphol has won more than 120 prizes over the years, in 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1990 and 2003 it was voted the best airport in the world. It was honoured with the title of "Best European Airport" during 15 consecutive years (1988-2003) and has won a lot more prizes, including "Best Business Travel Airport". This not only because of its usually perfectly organized operations but also because of its high number of international and intercontinental flights, in 2005 direct flights were operated to more than 260 destinations in 91 countries.
Schiphol has large shopping areas as a source of revenue and as an additional attractant to air-carrier passengers. Schiphol Plaza is the shopping centre before customs, hence not only for air travellers, but also for non travelling passengers.. There is a regular-size supermarket, Food Village, that is open until midnight seven days a week.
Schiphol is the world's lowest major commercial airport. The Schiphol Air traffic control tower, with a height of 101 m, was the tallest in the world when constructed in 1991. Its base is actually 5 m below sea level.
Schiphol also has its own mortuary, where deceased people can be handled and kept before departure or after arrival. Since October 2006 people can also get married at Schiphol and go on honeymoon directly.
Type: International
ICAO Airport Code: EHAM
IATA Airport Code: AMS
FAA Identifier: AMS
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