Parliament majority vote for a higher reduction in flights from Schiphol

A parliament majority voted in favor of a motion that would see a more significant reduction in the number of flights that take off from Schiphol than the Cabinet intended. The Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, Barry Madlener, decided earlier this month to reduce the noise nuisance at the airport by 15 percent instead of the previously agreed 17 percent. But parliament and the coalition party NSC have voted for the larger reduction.

Madlener’s limit of 478,000 flights would cut noise issues for local residents by 15 percent. He claims that the limit of 466,000 flights would be “very irresponsible” and believes this request from the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, will lead to procedures and delays of the plans.

“It is bad for the local residents because the measures will be delayed by a year because of this,” said Madlener during the Council of Ministers on Friday. He believes that a new procedure would be needed to reach a 17 percent reduction. “It is also damaging for the aviation sector as such a significant shrinkage is irresponsible.”

The motion was submitted by Olger van Dijk of the NSC. It was accepted by a small minority: 75 MPs were in favor, and 73 MPs were against.

Madlener will now have to perform the task or make an argument as to why he will not do so. He has six weeks to do this. It is not uncommon for ministers to avoid doing tasks that are accepted by a majority of Parliament. However, this could lead to the Tweede Kamer giving the minister a vote of no confidence.

Any flight reduction plan will have to be approved by the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium before it can be implemented. Their rules state that it can only be implemented as a last resort.

The plans have already caused international tensions as the United States threatened retaliatory actions if the plans are implemented. The U.S. has legislation that allows the government there to retaliate when American airlines are treated in an allegedly unfair manner.