Rotterdam Airport proposes fewer night flights, reduced noise

Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA) has submitted a request for a new airport permit that prioritizes reducing noise and limiting environmental impact while maintaining current commercial flight capacity.

RTHA aims to reduce its CO₂ emissions by 20 percent by 2035. The airport expects this reduction from a combination of limiting fossil-fuel flights, deploying more fuel-efficient aircraft, and mandatory blending of sustainable fuels.

The airport plans to ban business flights at night and reduce delayed commercial landings after 11:00 p.m. Delayed flights would be allowed to land no later than midnight, instead of 1:00 a.m. as currently permitted. The airport will not permit additional commercial flights using fossil fuels beyond the 17,860 flights allowed since 2019.

RTHA said extra flights would only be possible five years after the new permit takes effect, provided there is available noise capacity and the aircraft use electric, hydrogen, or fully sustainable fuels.

RTHA also proposes setting maximum limits for departing flights in the early morning and late-evening arrivals for commercial traffic. Within the next few years, departing commercial flights between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. would be required to use quieter aircraft types.

Surveys and meetings with nearby residents have shown strong opposition to increasing flight numbers, with complaints about noise and air pollution. "Over the past years, there have been many conversations with local residents and other stakeholders about the future of the airport," RTHA explained. "An important topic was reducing noise nuisance. This topic is therefore central to the application."

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management will review RTHA’s application and issue a draft airport permit. Stakeholders can provide feedback before the ministry finalizes what the airport is allowed to do.