Royal Schiphol Group has asked interim CEO Ruud Sondag to stay on until spring 2024 as it continues to look for a permanent boss.
Sondag has been in charge of the Dutch airports group on a temporary basis since 1 November following the departure of previous CEO Dick Benschop after a chaotic summer 2022 season which was severely impacted by flight delays and cancellations.
In a statement, Royal Schiphol Group said it was “making progress in the recruitment procedure” for a new CEO but had still requested that Sondag remain in post until 1 March 2024 “at the latest”. He had originally been due to leave the position on 31 August 2023.
Jaap Winter, chair of the group’s supervisory board, said: “It is in the interests of Schiphol, all employees and stakeholders that the interim period is being extended and that Ruud Sondag is staying on for a little longer.
“Together with the whole management team, and in a short period of time, he has made effective choices that give Schiphol a clear agenda for the future. Quality and stability are now top priorities.
“Our request for Ruud to remain until 1 March 2024 at the latest also gives the supervisory board time to diligently complete the recruitment procedure for a permanent CEO.”
Sondag stressed that services at Schiphol during the May holiday period had been “much better for both travellers and airlines”.
“The understanding is that structural improvements are required,” he added. “We are tackling overdue maintenance, which is tied to a new way of working, in the areas of working conditions, environment, the surrounding area and our infrastructure and buildings. These are important topics that I’d like to work on for longer.”
Schiphol is also embroiled in a legal fight to be able to cut the annual number of flights from later this year, with the Dutch government winning an appeal last week which allows it to reduce capacity at the airport from this winter onwards.