The number of bomb hoaxes rose quickly at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport recently, with five people having been arrested in the past three weeks for joking about weapons and bombs, police said on July 20.

These passengers were just joking when they said - while checking in or even on board the plane - that they were carrying a bomb or arms with them, a spokesperson for the Marechaussee (Dutch military police) at the airport told Dutch news agency ANP.

The consequences however are very serious. The Marechaussee is required to arrest the suspects and bar them from the flight. They can also impose a fine of up to EUR600.

In addition, airline companies always refuse to accept those passengers and consequently they will miss their flight, the ANP reported.

If the suitcases of passengers have already been loaded onto the aircraft, the plane must be unloaded, and investigated by sniffer dogs. In those cases the airline companies will try and claim compensation for the delay from the jokers.

The spokesperson for the Marechaussee indicated that people play these kinds of jokes dozens of times a year, but during the summer holiday season there is usually more such incidents.