Dutch authorities want to limit the number of flights to Schiphol-Amsterdam airport to combat noise pollution

Faced with complaints from nearby residents, the Dutch authorities announced yesterday that they want to limit the number of flights at Schiphol-Amsterdam Airport to a maximum of 440 flights a year, compared to a 500000 recorded before the Covid-19 pandemic. There is only one reason: to fight noise pollution.

The reduction in the number of flights, which could be made from November 2023, will lead to "less noise pollution and less CO2 emissions", Said the Dutch government in a letter to Parliament, but claimed that"with this number of flights, Schiphol can maintain its international network of destinations ".

Dutch Infrastructure Minister Mark Harbers acknowledged that the decision contains "a difficult message for the aviation sector", Which is still recovering from the pandemic. It could be a setback for the largest airport in the Netherlands and one of the main European airports.

Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport reacted to the announcement by the authorities, considering that "significant risks are assumed on the quality of the network”. "The government's decision to drastically reduce airport capacity will diminish interest in the Netherlands", Said the executive director of the ACI Europe airport association, Olivier Jankovec. " This decision is a blow to aviation, employment and the Dutch economy", Denounced the general director of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Willie Walsh.