Schiphol: Plans won't meet noise reduction targets; KLM Group to update fleet, reschedule flights

Schiphol Airport has presented its plans to make aviation quieter from the end of next year, but this does not yet meet the Cabinet goals. Banning overnight flights, private planes and "the noisiest aircraft" provides enough noise reduction at night, but not during the day. Schiphol is waiting to see what measures the Cabinet will take in this regard and sees something in the further renewal of the aircraft fleet.

In April, Schiphol already presented eight steps to become quieter, cleaner and better. The airport still wants to implement this, but before a Thursday deadline, Schiphol has selected four steps for the Cabinet to combat noise nuisance. A fund containing 10 million euros annually for the environment and area residents is also part of Schiphol's vision.

Schiphol does not want aircraft to take off between midnight and 6 a.m., and a ban on landing between midnight and 5 a.m. Together with the exclusion of private planes and noisy aircraft, this will result in a 46 percent noise reduction at night. The government is asking for 15 percent.

The measures only yield a 15 percent noise reduction during the day, which means that a reduction of another 5 percentage points is necessary. "Many views have been received from the sector this week and the government itself also has plans," said a spokesperson. "That's where the other 5 percent should come from as far as we're concerned."

Schiphol wants the steps to be taken to be laid down in law, so that the sector must actually comply with them. Hard noise limits and hard emission limits are measurable and enforceable. "Schiphol therefore wants a system by 2025-2026 at the latest that focuses on the structural reduction of noise and CO2 emissions in line with the Paris climate agreement and not on the number of air transport movements."

For example, the KLM Group, which includes Transavia, presented its views on limiting noise nuisance on Thursday. The group wants to achieve the Cabinet goals with quieter aircraft and other measures. However, the airline group does not expect to achieve the target for less noise throughout the day before November next year, but only in 2026.

The KLM Group submitted its plan to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, aiming to reduce aircraft noise pollution without cutting the number of flights. With this plan, the group said it expects to reduce noise reduction for local residents beyond the objectives of the government, which plans to limit the number of flights at Schiphol to 440,000 per year.

The ministry set its noise pollution reduction targets with a November 2024 deadline. The KLM Group expects to hit 18 percent noise reduction at night by 2024, but the airline group anticipates it will only achieve the daytime noise reduction goal by 2026, two years later than the deadline.

According to the KLM Group, this plan will be more impactful than the one proposed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. The group said it aims to achieve this by modernizing its fleet with quieter, cleaner, and more fuel-efficient aircraft. They also explored ways to reduce noise during flights. Additionally, the KLM Group plans to operate their quietest aircrafts during nighttime hours to further reduce noise pollution for local residents.

Apart from KLM, the KLM Group consists of Transavia, Martinair, and KLM Cityhopper. When drafting the proposal, the group collaborated with other sector parties, including easyJet, TUI, Corendon, and BARIN. According to the group, the package of measures developed from this collaboration meets the objectives of the government to reduce noise pollution.

Local residents are pleased with plans from Schiphol and KLM regarding overnight flights, said residents' association MRS. "But the MRS warns that the effect of fleet renewal on perceived noise nuisance is greatly overestimated. Reduction is really necessary for this."