When I first started flying around 2001 when I was 17 or 18, I'd fly Northwest to Amsterdam twice a year. I don't remember the departure time, but it always arrived at Schiphol around 5 or so in the morning. It was fascinating to see the airport come alive -- just like it's fascinating to wake up early and see a city come alive with the merchants in markets, the delivery trucks and so forth. Also, this was when smoking was allowed almost everywhere in the airport.