Illegal prostitution is flourishing at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport as a result of ever cheaper tickets, ground staff say.

Prostitutes from Eastern Europe fly to Schiphol to lure clients into lavatories and hotel rooms, staff told newspaper De Telegraaf. The women approach potential clients in the international area just past customs. They focus on passengers waiting for a connecting flight and check which flights are delayed.

“Some women fly back and forth on the same day”, one airport worker claims. “Apparently they earn enough to make a profit, even after paying for their ticket”.

“Two hotels outside customs offer inexpensive rooms for passengers who want to freshen up or rest between flights”, an airport employee says. “But people may use other services too, of course.”

In an official reaction, border police say they will only intervene in response to specific complaints, which they have not yet received. But such prostitution is illegal, the police warn. “If we detect it ourselves, we will act.”

The Amsterdam prostitution association says it does not object to the women working at the airport provided they are doing so out of their own will and are not being used by people traffickers.

(cl/ae)

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