It is hard to imagine Amsterdam Airport Schiphol as a large lake. One of the legends goes that violent storms claimed ships in the lake, giving it the name of Schiphol, or ship grave.

Thankfully, that did not deter the Dutch from making it their military base in September 1916, starting off an airport that would become one of the busiest in the world a century later. Schiphol is the oldest airport in the world still in the original location.

A little more than 58 million people used the airport last year, making it the fifth busiest in Europe and among the top 15 globally. Its location, a gateway to Europe, makes it an ideal stop for airlines. Many, including India’s Jet Airways use Schiphol as a hub. “When we looked at Amsterdam and the Schiphol, it was a fit from a location perspective,” says Gilbert George, Vice President - Europe Continental & Americas. Earlier this year, Jet shifted its European hub from Brussels to Amsterdam.

More than 100 airlines connect to 322 destinations from the airport and 40 per cent of its passengers are in transit. Spend some time inside Schiphol and it is clear that the location is just one of the reasons for its popularity. Many find the airport easier to use because of its one-terminal concept. It has one terminal that includes three departure halls connecting the flights. So a flier, who has flown in from the US or Asia, and wants to travel on to another Dutch city, doesn’t have to exit the airport, as is the case in some of the airports in India.

If that eases travel, Schiphol makes sure that there is enough inside the airport to make the best of the saved time. There is entertainment — a casino for adults and a playground for children. Those looking to catch up with their reading can use the library and others looking for a slice of Dutch history and art can visit the Rijksmuseum. The museum is however closed now for a renovation, but promises to open soon.

The airport has quite a few high-end retail outlets. Surprisingly though, the retail offering doesn’t include a clothing store for children. May be one missed the outlet, but even the information desk wasn’t aware. Nevertheless, these attractions apart, it is the personalisation of the lounges that is more fascinating. In one of them, a transparent floor gives a view of of the underground baggage system and one can see suitcases on a conveyor belt. In another lounge, you can smell the different flavours of drinks before ordering one. And don’t miss the giant clock that seems to be manually updated by a man; it is actually a video well camouflaged. The Dutch fascination, or obsession with design is at full display at Schiphol.

The writer was recently in Amsterdam at the invitation of Schiphol Airport and NBTC Holland Marketing

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