Schiphol investing €10 billion in expansion over next decade, including abroad
Schiphol Airport is planning to invest €10 billion into improving and expanding the airport over the next ten years, the airport announced. Hundreds of millions of that amount will be allocated to investments abroad.
The bulk of the funds will go toward improving the airport’s infrastructure and making it more sustainable. Plans include a new terminal and renovated piers. According to the airport, these spaces are needed for a more comfortable passenger experience and for larger and quieter aircraft.
Schiphol Airport wants to return to the top three of European hub airports for goods and passengers. “For over a century, Schiphol has been a home base for global travelers, a freight hub, and a foundation for our economy. With our future plans, we aim to maintain and strengthen this position and contribute to the progress of the Netherlands,” CEO Pieter van Oord said.
The airport also needs to become more sustainable. The Dutch government determined that emissions must return to 2005 levels by 2030, and airports can only grow if this can be achieved without excessive disruption or environmental impact. Schiphol, therefore, aims to reduce gas consumption and encourage electric transport to and from the airport, among other things.
Schiphol will also invest hundreds of millions of euros in small, regional airports abroad. The Amsterdam airport wants to diversify its revenue streams and maintain its competitive position in the international aviation industry, despite limited growth opportunities in the Netherlands, Van Oord told the Financieele Dagblad.
“The bulk of the money will simply be invested in Schiphol; any new investments will primarily focus on areas where the Netherlands has a strong social, cultural, and historical connection.”
He mentioned the Netherlands Antilles, where Schiphol already collaborates with the airport in Aruba, and the small German airport of Weeze as examples. “We’re not actively working on Weeze at the moment. But why is Weeze interesting at all? Because many Dutch people use it,” Van Oord told the newspaper.
