Rotterdam The Hague Airport invests €200 million into modernising
Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA) is investing €200 million into renovating and modernising the airport. The investment comes just five years after local politicians pushed to have the airport demolished for housing construction.
The investment comes from Schiphol Group, which owns RTHA. The funds will be used to renovate the runway and modernize the terminal, among other things. Various works have already begun, Rijnmond reported.
The runway renovation is scheduled to start in March 2028. During that part of the work, the airport will be closed to commercial aviation for approximately 1.5 months. The runway was last renovated in 2008 and is practically worn out. Both the sub-surface and the top layer desperately need replacement, according to the airport.
This is a “modernization drive,” airport director Wilma van Dijk told Rijnmond. “We will also make some adjustments in terms of safety. This is not due to increased aircraft movements, but to more passengers.”
In 2021, Rotterdam politicians presented a plan to demolish Rotterdam The Hague Airport and build 10,000 homes in its place. The plan aimed to help alleviate the housing shortage, while also improving the green space in the city. The local government dropped the proposal in 2023.
Following weeks of chaos at Schiphol Airport caused by a strike and staff shortages in the 2022 spring and summer season, airlines moved flights scheduled for Amsterdam to other nearby facilities, including Rotterdam The Hague Airport.
