Schiphol only willing to temporarily cut down to 460,000 flight movements per year

Schiphol Airport does not want the number of flight movements to shrink further than 460,000 per year. The airport agrees to cut down to that limit this year but does not want to rule out new growth after that. Growth should become possible through a new airport traffic order in which the government focuses on the environmental impact, the airport wrote in an opinion on the Cabinet’s plans to reduce aviation.

The airport company emphasized the connections with the rest of the world that Schiphol offers. “That is of incredible value to our prosperity and well-being.” But Schiphol also realizes that aviation causes pollution and noise and says it is “unabatedly committed” to “less nuisance and emissions.” Both interests must be incorporated into the new system, which politicians have been working on for ten years.

The airport operator wants a new airport traffic order to happen quickly to create clarity. It must control noise and emissions. These environmental limits should clarify to the aviation sector what is and is not allowed. But there must also be room for a reward if aviation remains within the set limits, according to Schiphol. That would open the door for future growth. The government must also encourage innovations that reduce nuisance and emissions.

Schiphol also notes that decisions about the winter season, which starts in October, must be made quickly. The slot coordinator must publish the maximum capacity in that period by May 4 at the latest.

Last June, the Cabinet announced it would shrink Schiphol to 440,000 flights per year. That was supposed to happen by the end of this year. But later, the Minister added an intermediate step of 460,000 flights per year.

KLM also expressed concerns about the reduction plans and said the company would have to drop 30 destinations if the Cabinet goes through with it. That could lead to less occupancy of the transatlantic flights, which may also have to decrease. And that would create a downward spiral, according to the Dutch airline. KLM wants the number of flight movements to remain above 470,00 because that would have limited consequences for the airline.