The Dutch government is once again aiming to decrease capacity at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport by implementing new restrictions on night flights and certain types of aircraft by the year 2025. This proposal, put forward by Dutch infrastructure minister Mark Harbers in a letter to parliament on May 24, seeks to address the issue of noise pollution at the Netherlands’ primary hub.
One of the key components of the government’s plan is to reduce the number of night flights at Schiphol to 27,000 in 2025, down from the current 32,000. Additionally, the loudest aircraft, including the Boeing 747-400, would be banned from operating between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.
This recent attempt to limit capacity at Schiphol Airport follows a previous effort by the Dutch government to decrease it by 20%. However, that plan was met with significant international criticism and was ultimately abandoned in November. In March, a local court ruled that the government must take further action to reduce noise pollution at the airport in response to complaints from nearby residents.
Netherlands flag carrier KLM has strongly opposed the government’s latest proposal, describing it as “harmful and not proportionate.” The airline argues that the blanket ban on certain aircraft types without allowing the industry time to find alternatives is shortsighted. KLM contends that reducing noise impact can be accomplished without severely cutting the number of flights by implementing fleet-renewal plans with quieter aircraft and increasing airport fees for noisy planes.
As the Dutch government moves forward with its plan to limit capacity at Schiphol Airport, the response from KLM raises important concerns about the balance between noise reduction and maintaining a viable aviation industry. It remains to be seen how these conflicting interests will be reconciled as the debate continues.