Netherlands to reduce flights at Amsterdam Airport
The Dutch government announced Friday that it will reduce the number of flights at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport from the current 500,000 to 452,000 next year, a lower figure than previously announced, and private jets and night air traffic will not be banned for the time being.
The Executive has today presented its plan for the main Dutch aerodrome to the European Commission and explains that the measures are aimed at “reducing noise nuisance at Schiphol from next year onwards”.
“Aviation brings many wonderful things to the Netherlands, as long as attention is paid to the negative effects on people living in the vicinity of the airport,” said Acting Minister of Infrastructure Mark Harbers.
The final package sent to Brussels includes the use of less noisy aircraft at night (between 23:00 and 07:00), further reducing runway use, and limiting the number of night flights to 28,700 movements (there was a maximum of 32,000) and overall air movements to 452,500 flights (there was a maximum of 500,000).
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As a European country, if you want to reduce the capacity of an airport, you have to go through a procedure called “balanced approach” and the Netherlands is the first country to carry out this procedure on this scale, of which it must inform Brussels before implementing it.
“Part of that procedure is a consultation phase, where all interested parties can comment on the proposed plans. Many responses have been received from airlines, Schiphol, local residents and environmental organizations. All have been weighed and evaluated to determine their effect and feasibility,” says the Executive.
The proposed package, promises the Dutch government, involves a noise reduction of approximately 15% during the day and 15% at night, although “measures still need to be taken to reduce the remaining 5%” needed to be able to reach the overall target of reducing total noise pollution by 20%.
The government is examining a plan proposed by Schiphol for a partial night closure, which could allow the remaining 5% to be reached.
In a response, the airfield said the announced plan “offers more certainty and clarity to local residents, airlines and Schiphol” and said it expected to see part of its proposals, such as nighttime closure, exclusion of private and noisiest aircraft, in the package.
The Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf pointed out Thursday, before the Council of Ministers meeting, the U.S. discontent due to Schiphol’s contraction plans and assured that Washington is threatening sanctions against the Dutch airline KLM if the number of international flights allowed in Amsterdam is reduced, EFE reported.
“We take all reactions seriously. There are big interests that are also contrary. I know they don’t like this in the United States, but this situation is also vulnerable for Schiphol,” admitted Minister Harbers.
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