Schiphol defies safety warnings, plans to use small runway for large aircraft
Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport is set to disregard safety risks this summer by permitting large aircraft to land on a runway deemed unsuitable for such planes. Despite a clear recommendation from the Dutch Safety Board (OVV) to limit the use of the "small runway" (Oostbaan) for larger aircraft, the airport is moving forward with the plan, drawing concerns from aviation experts, according to Het Parool.
Schiphol’s decision comes as major maintenance work is set to close the Buitenveldertbaan runway for at least 20 weeks, starting May 10. As a result, traffic usually handled by the Buitenveldertbaan will be redirected to other runways, with the Oostbaan expected to take on around 5,900 flights over the summer, in addition to the usual 5,400. Of these, approximately 170 landings will occur overnight, a time when the Oostbaan is typically not used.
The Oostbaan, known for its proximity to Amsterdam and the low-altitude flight path over the city, is just 2 kilometers long, making it the shortest at Schiphol. It is traditionally used for smaller aircraft, but the airport and air traffic controller Luchtverkeersleiding Nederland (LVNL) have allowed large planes, including wide-body aircraft like the Airbus A330, to land on it.
The decision to permit large aircraft on the Oostbaan goes against a critical safety recommendation issued by the OVV in its July 2024 report. Following a "serious incident" in January 2023, the OVV recommended that Schiphol cease using the Oostbaan for large aircraft. The incident involved a Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300, which landed short of the runway, coming to a stop 300 meters before the designated landing zone. The aircraft, with 233 passengers on board, was able to continue its roll due to its speed, but the incident caused damage to runway lighting and left debris on the tarmac. The damaged landing gear was discovered hours later, after other flights had landed on the same runway.
The OVV's investigation revealed that the Oostbaan’s landing systems, which date back to 1994, were designed for smaller aircraft, not wide-body jets. These outdated systems have failed to meet current standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). This has led to issues with large aircraft landing too early and coming in too low. According to the OVV, the configuration of the Oostbaan provides insufficient space for long, large aircraft like the A330, even though the runway is technically suitable for such planes under specific conditions.
Despite the OVV’s recommendation, Schiphol, in collaboration with LVNL, KLM, and EasyJet, has dismissed the directive and plans to continue using the Oostbaan for large aircraft landings. A Schiphol spokesperson stated that the airport believes the runway can be safely used by large planes, arguing that not allowing it would increase risks on other runways and lead to significant flight cancellations, especially under adverse weather conditions. Schiphol further explained that the adjustments necessary to meet the required safety standards would not take place until 2027, when the runway undergoes major renovations.
The OVV has expressed alarm at Schiphol’s stance, emphasizing that safety recommendations are not optional. "Recommendations are not to be taken lightly," a spokesperson from the OVV said. "Although the risk of an aircraft landing short of the runway is low, there is an increased risk." The OVV is currently investigating whether Schiphol's actions violate its safety recommendations.
As part of its mitigation strategy, Schiphol has reportedly increased pilot training and is advising pilots to perform a "visual landing" on the Oostbaan, despite concerns that such landings are more difficult for larger planes due to limited visibility. The OVV has also pointed out that the runway lighting is insufficient for night or poor visibility landings.
The responsibility for the final decision on whether to land on the Oostbaan lies with the aircraft’s captain. LVNL has stated that it will continue to manage landings based on the origin of the flights, regardless of aircraft size. However, since January 2023, Delta Air Lines has stopped using the Oostbaan for large aircraft unless there are no other options for safety reasons.
The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure, which oversees aviation regulations, was reportedly unaware of the safety concerns surrounding the use of the Oostbaan for large aircraft when it authorized the temporary relaxation of the rules for summer maintenance. Schiphol allegedly did not mention the OVV's recommendations or safety measures in its request for the exemption.
Despite this, Schiphol maintains that the risks are low, citing an assessment by the National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR), which concluded that the risk of a serious incident is almost nonexistent. However, the OVV has expressed doubts about the applicability of this assessment to large aircraft, as it was based on the performance of a smaller test aircraft, a business jet, which is not representative of the risks posed by larger planes.
