Frequently asked questions about assistance

You will find these toilets at most toilet blocks at Schiphol. The accessible toilet for people with reduced mobility is recognisable by the wheelchair symbol. View the map here.

No, the assistant cannot help you with this. It is advisable to take a companion with you to the airport if you cannot use the toilet independently. Our assistant will guide you to the toilet door.

Yes, the airport has wheelchairs for public use that are free of charge. You will find the wheelchairs along the walkway from parking garage P1 to the arrival hall. At Schiphol Plaza, the loan wheelchairs are located next to the lift to the train station. View the map here.

You get the same service as any other passenger; the crew on board have not been trained as assistants. If you have specific questions, please contact your airline.

Please inquire with your airline about this. The permitted sizes and weights, required paperwork and other conditions may differ. If your wheelchair is travelling with you, report this to your airline. In this case you are obliged to request assistance in advance. You should preferably do this immediately when booking your flight ticket, but at least 48 hours before your flight departs.

No, unfortunately we do not have a room for this at Schiphol at the moment. We are working on being able to offer this in the future. Until then, we advise you to contact the medical service and ask if you can use one of their treatment rooms.

Yes. The security staff at Schiphol are trained to treat all passengers with the utmost care. You may be asked additional questions, for example with regard to your medication. It may also take longer for you to go through security screening.

For travellers who use a wheelchair or other aids, there is a wider passage that can also be used for pushchairs. The security officer will check you and your wheelchair for prohibited items.

Yes, if you go to the gate in your own wheelchair and cannot get up, the security officer will search you in the wheelchair with a handheld scanner. Please indicate clearly what you can and cannot do, and security will take this into account. The security officer also checks your wheelchair.

Please request assistance for your journey through your airline, tour operator or travel agency. After you have checked in, we will take care of your assistance. Do you need assistance earlier, for example if you are arriving at Schiphol by train? Please check this page for our pick-up service.

Schiphol is a 'silent airport', which means that there are virtually no announcements. We show important flight or gate changes on screens in the terminal, on this website and in the Schiphol app, which you can view on your mobile. You can always ask a Schiphol employee for help if you think you are missing information. They are happy to help you.

If you have a hidden or mental disability and therefore need more time and space, you can pick up the internationally recognised Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard at the assistance desk. This way we can recognise you and give you more time and space if you wish. You don't get priority though. With this lanyard you simply stay with your travel group and quietly go through security and passport control together.

You can pick up the free lanyard at the assistance desk in the departure hall.

You can relax in the seating and rest area at Holland Boulevard (between Pier E and Pier F). Here are darker areas where you can rest quietly. Or you can visit the Meditation Centre in Lounge 2. View the map here.

Please inquire with your airline about this. The required paperwork and other conditions may vary. In any case, your assistance dog must be certified. If your assistance dog is travelling with you, you must request assistance in advance. You should preferably do this immediately when booking your flight ticket, but at least 48 hours before your flight departs.

There are no walking areas for assistance dogs at Schiphol (yet) where you can walk your dog yourself. Is the need high? Ask your assistant about the options.

Yes, at Schiphol we have more than 140 AEDs in the departure and arrival halls, in the lounges, on the piers at the gate and in official cars. This means that there is a clearly visible AED almost every 50 meters. View the AEDs on the map. In addition, Schiphol has a very well-organised emergency response team (BHV) that, together with professional emergency services, quickly arrives on site in the event of a life-threatening situation. All our emergency response staff are trained to operate an AED and know where the AED locations are. Our emergency response team is available 24/7 and is present everywhere.

Schiphol has its own emergency number: 020-6012222. With this emergency number you can immediately call the emergency response team and emergency services. This is faster than using the national emergency number 112.

Schiphol has a very well-organised emergency response team (BHV) that, together with professional emergency services, quickly arrives on site in the event of a life-threatening situation. The emergency response team is available 24/7 and is present in all passenger areas to help you quickly. We also have a medical service: Airport Medical Services. Check the map to see where you can go. You can also call the Schiphol emergency number: 020-6012222 and help will be on its way to you immediately. This is faster than calling 112.

Yes, the assistant will be happy to help you check in your hold baggage, carry your hand baggage, store your hand baggage on the plane and collect your bags in the baggage hall.

No. Any medical procedures, such as connecting or disconnecting oxygen, that are required while you are being guided should be requested from Airport Medical Services. This way, they can be on standby in a timely manner. You can also bring a fellow traveller or companion to perform your medical procedures.

No, the assistant will take you to the toilet door, but will not go inside with you. If you need help inside, we recommend that you bring your own companion.

This is possible for basic necessities, such as when you need something to eat or drink. However it is not possible in the event you want to buy a new outfit, for example. If you want go shopping on your own initiative, you can use a loan wheelchair. Make sure that you make clear agreements with your assistant about where and when you will meet, so that the assistance is not compromised.

Yes, you can ask your assistant. They can guide you to a nearby place to eat or drink, if there is enough time and you do not have to go to your plane yet. You agree with the assistant on a time and place to meet again.

That is something we strive for, but this is not always possible. Sometimes you will be assigned a different assistant due to waiting times or the locations you are at. And if we drop you off at the gate well in advance, we will check with you every 30 minutes to see if everything is going well.

At Schiphol, we do everything we can to provide professional assistance. If you are nevertheless not satisfied and would like to file a complaint, you can do so in the following ways:

• Send an email to info@schiphol.nl;
• Get in touch via our contact page.

Schiphol sees complaints as an opportunity to continuously improve our services. We aim to answer your complaint within 3 days.

You can also submit your complaint to the regulator (Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate, ILT), read more about this at ilent.nl or report a complaint directly.

If your own wheelchair is travelling with you and damage or loss has occurred while being loaded on or unloaded from the plane, Schiphol will provide temporary replacement of the damaged or lost aids so that your journey can swiftly continue. Your assistant can help you with this. Please contact your airline for compensation for the damage.