The Amsterdam hub of Schiphol Airport has unveiled plans to reduce noise and curb carbon emissions, leading to the imposition of a night-time flight ban and the prohibition of private jets. The proposals, which are set to take effect within two to three years, stipulate that no flights will be allowed to take off between the hours of midnight and 6am while no landings will be authorized between midnight and 5am.
From the perspective of cutting noise pollution, the moves are in line with the Paris climate agreement, however, they also have the potential to cause a considerable impact on airlines. Royal Schiphol Group Chief Executive Officer Ruud Sondag acknowledged that the changes could have “significant implications” for the aviation industry, but stated that such an outcome was necessary in order to combat noise and carbon emissions.
The Dutch arm of Air France-KLM expressed their surprise at the new policies, commenting that the decisions have “far-reaching consequences” for airlines. The KLM, which accounts for close to 60% of Schiphol traffic, will collaborate with other aviation companies to submit their opinions on the changes to the Dutch infrastructure ministry by June 15.
In other measures taken to reduce pressure on Schiphol’s annual capacity, there will be an estimated 10,000 fewer night flights occurring yearly, and plans for an additional runway have been scrapped. What is more, noisier aircraft and specific night closures will be subject to tighter rules and regulations, yet there is still a desire to maintain 2.5% of the take-off and landing slots for cargo flights.
Royal Schiphol Group is a major transportation and aviation company formed in 2018 after the merger of Royal Schiphol and three other transportation companies. It is one of the largest airports in Europe and serves millions of passengers each year, as well as acting as a key European hub. CEO Ruud Sondag is a distingushed expert in the aviation industry, and possesses both broad sectoral experience as well as a comprehensive insight into the broader transportation sector. He has lead the company through various key changes and initiatives, including the reduction of noise and carbon emissions in a bid to maintain Schiphol Airport’s sustainability.
