Pilots union calls on government to abandon plans of closing Schiphol at night

The Association of Dutch Commercial Pilots (VNV) is calling on the government to abandon its plans to close Schiphol Airport at night. The pilot union thinks the plans are unnecessary and will adversely affect Dutch citizens. VNV is also opposing plans for a fourth flight path to Schiphol, which would go over the provinces of Utrecht and Gelderland. The union calculated that over 1.3 million Dutch citizens will suffer from this.

Airline companies like Transavia and TUI fly, as well as the cargo sector, will have their continuity threatened by the night closure, said the union. “Preventing a night closure will keep air travel accessible for the citizens of the Netherlands with less money to spend. They would have to fly from a country abroad for their usual holidays by plane. It is time for logical and predictable measures,” VNV added.

The caretaker Cabinet is considering closing the airport at night from 2026. From 2025 onwards, fewer planes will land and depart Schiphol at night.

VNV also noted that fewer people in the Netherlands are inconvenienced by the noise of plane travel than they are by road or train travel.

Marcel de Nooijer, CEO of Transavia, told BNR earlier this week that closing Schiphol at night would cost the airline company more than 200 million euros. Transavia is a significant user of the night slots at Schiphol.

The company said that they use around a third of all flight possibilities at night. They also added that they are not ruling out leaving the Netherlands if Schiphol is closed at night.