In the ongoing snow chaos at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport—now in its fifth day—a family from Lidköping en route to Aruba has abandoned their dream vacation after Venezuelan airspace closure compounded delays, leaving them stranded and out tens of thousands of kronor.
Following the severe snowstorms that have canceled hundreds of flights and stranded Swedish travelers like Josefine Strömquist and Linus Johansson (as previously reported), Mona, Magnus, and their three children from Lidköping faced additional hurdles on their January 3 departure from Landvetter via Amsterdam to Aruba.
Snow delayed their inbound flight, and upon arrival at chaotic Schiphol, their connecting flight was canceled due to temporary Venezuelan airspace closure after a US military operation capturing President Nicolás Maduro. Unable to retrieve checked baggage packed for tropical weather, they bought clothes for the cold and spent about 60,000 kronor on hotels, taxis, and failed return attempts to Gothenburg and Copenhagen—canceled due to snow and de-icing issues.
Three homeward flights failed, including one where they sat for hours with minimal provisions. 'Information-poor. You feel abandoned,' said Magnus. 'They should be ashamed,' added Mona, criticizing KLM's communication.
Now booking a train to Brussels for a Thursday flight home, the family hopes for travel insurance reimbursement and eyes a future retry to another island, calling it a 'first-world problem.'
