TUI flying empty planes between Schiphol and Eindhoven airport

Travel organization TUI flies an empty plane from Schiphol to Eindhoven Airport and back "several times a week". This has been happening since the start of the summer season and will continue until the end of October, a spokesperson for TUI at the airport in Eindhoven said after reporting in Eindhovens Dagblad. From a sustainability viewpoint, critics believe it should not be allowed to move empty aircraft over the short distance.

TUI has no base in Eindhoven and therefore an empty plane has to come from Schiphol to pick up travelers to continue their journey to their final destination. Passengers are also dropped off in Eindhoven on the way back, after which the empty plane goes back to Schiphol.

Dick Veenstra, chairman of the Eindhoven Residents' Platform Woensel-Noord, called this "not done". "And I think there's a lot of support in society for that. It is a bit contradictory to plan such a short flight while we want to reduce the number of flights." According to Veenstra, it is better for travelers to fly from Schiphol and go there by train or bus, for example.