Yes, I know… I wrote an article one or two weeks ago about why it makes sense to spend Christmas at home, yet I am planning a trip around this time of the year; I live in Frankfurt, and my family lives in a smaller town in The Netherlands, so I decided to visit my family for Christmas. So I though. Just as I was about to get on a delayed flight at 13h10, the flight crew anounced that Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has cancelled all flights and is closing its doors for the rest of the day. The reason? Snow.

So, I went down to get back my luggage… I thought. As I am writing this article from home, I am still waiting for my luggage. The Frankfurt luggage transportation system does not seem to have all that capacity for such large amount of delays and cancellations, so I am affraid I will have to wait until tomorrow. Nevertheless, I am thinking. It really doesn’t snow that much in The Netherlands. How come Schiphol is closing down for the an entire day due to a bit of snow, whereas things seem to work out just fine in much tougher environments, such as Greenland or Canada. The same happened in my hometown last friday when it started snowing: the bus company, in charge for all bus routes throughout the city, has decided not to let any busses on the roads. Mind you, that city does not have trams or a subway system; all public transportation takes place via bus.

It is a bit hard for me to actually make such a harsh statement, but I can’t let go of this feeling that many companies nowadays would rather reduce risk and save money, and as a result let hundreds of thousands of people get stranded, in stead of assuring business continuity. Actually, corporations such as public transport, airlines, or airports, have an obligation to the community and general public. And I am really wondering: is it really all that dangerous to let flights take place, or have busses driving with snowy weather, or is it simply a cover up for their monetary decisions?

I would be very anxious to hear about your experiences. Perhaps you live in Canada, Greenland, or any other region with harsh weather environment. How are things organized over there?

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