This is a story that should appear on a satire page, but it’s not a gag: Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport is removing two-thirds of its clocks to save the cost of repairing them. Many have been out of service for years and covered to avoid confusing travelers.
“It’s very complex to keep the clocks running,” an airport spokesperson said, adding that repairing them is not as simple as replacing a battery. “The clocks are wired into the ceilings. If one stops working, the entire ceiling must be opened to access the cabling.”
But all is not lost. To make up for last time (!), he said “In places where time is vital—such as transfer zones or at the gates—we’ll install working clocks again. In other locations, the clocks will be removed altogether. Covered clocks add nothing to the quality or travel experience we aim to provide.”
Perhaps it’s time to re-install the famed Schiphol Clock art project, pictured above. Part of a series called Real Time, artist Maarten Baas created an airport clock that appeared to show a man inside the clock, painting the time, changing every minute.
