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KLM is running out of de-icing fluid as hundreds of flights cancelled

A KLM plane lands at the Schiphol Airport on January 4, 2026 as hundreds of flights have been cancelled
A KLM plane lands at the Schiphol Airport on January 4, 2026 as hundreds of flights have been cancelled

Dutch airline KLM said it was running out of fluid to remove ice from aircraft at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport.

A cold snap has caused thousands of flight cancellations over the past five days at one of Europe's busiest airports.

KLM said its 25 de-icing trucks have been in continuous use in Amsterdam, consuming around 85,000 litres per day of the mixture of heated water and glycol it uses to clear departing aircraft of snow and ice before take off.

"Since Friday KLM has been de-icing aircraft at Schiphol around the clock using de-icing fluid delivered daily," the airline said.

"Due to a combination of extreme weather conditions and delays in supply from the provider, stock levels are running low. This challenge is currently widespread across Europe," it added.

KLM said employees had been sent to its supplier in Germany to pick up more de-icing fluid, and it could not give a specific timeframe for when it might run out if stocks are not replenished.

Schiphol airport, meanwhile, said it still had ample supplies of a different type of de-icing fluid it uses to remove ice and snow from runways.

KLM cancelled at least 300 flights on Tuesday to and from Amsterdam, where it is the largest operator.

Winter conditions are expected to continue in the coming days in the Netherlands, with heavy snowfall and strong winds predicted for Wednesday morning.