Schiphol cancels planned 5% fee hike for airlines after industry backlash
Schiphol Airport announced it will not implement a planned 5 percent increase in fees for airlines, citing concerns about affordability and ongoing criticism from carriers, Schiphol stated. The move comes after airport fees rose 41 percent last year.
“Airline fees for 2025 would have had a significant impact on carriers operating to and from Schiphol,” said Robert Carsouw, Schiphol’s chief financial officer. “We understand their concerns and are seeking the right balance between cost and quality.”
Airlines, including Corendon, had recently warned they might shift flights to airports abroad to maintain lower ticket prices for passengers. Schiphol said the decision to cancel the increase reflects sensitivity to these pressures.
Carsouw acknowledged that while higher fees are needed to fund investments in quality, the airport risks being seen as “too expensive” by airlines. Schiphol is also considering reducing the 2026 planned fee increase to 0 percent.
“Schiphol can make this proposal because it has focused on efficiency and cost management, without concessions on quality and safety,” the airport stated in a press release. A formal decision has not yet been finalized.
Schiphol CEO Pieter van Oord defended the price hike in February, saying he expects passenger numbers in 2025 to approach the 2019 record and that he is not concerned the planned increase in airport charges will drive airlines away.
In 2024, Schiphol invested 1 billion euros, which its CEO, Pieter van Oord, said was a record amount. However, later in July, Schiphol announced that it expects passenger traffic to grow 25 percent over the next decade and plans a 10 billion euro investment to adapt the airport to accommodate this increase.
