Parliament backs Schiphol cap of 478,000 flights a year

A majority in the Dutch lower house supports a new aviation decree that sets limits on noise and on the number of flights at Schiphol.

It is the first decree of its kind in eighteen years.

The airport will be capped at 478,000 flights a year, with no more than 27,000 at night.

That is slightly below the current level of around 499,000 flights, of which 30,000 are at night.

Noise nuisance over a full day must fall by 20%, and at night by 15%.

The decree also sets rules on safety, on how the runways are used and on emissions of harmful substances.

Infrastructure minister Karremans said it balances cutting nuisance for residents against an open economy that cannot do without aviation.

Opposition warns of legal risk

Part of the opposition calls the decree a “legally uncertain path” and points out that environmental groups have already announced lawsuits.

Pro and the Party for the Animals say the small cut in flights will not end the nuisance, sleepless nights and health problems for people living nearby.

“A hundred thousand people are literally being made ill by it,” said Party for the Animals MP Kostic.

Pro MP Kröger said residents are being treated with contempt, and compared it to the earthquakes in Groningen.

In 2024 a court ruled that the interests of local residents had been systematically put below those of aviation.

Kröger and Kostic also point to the Council of State, which says the government has not yet explained well enough what will happen if noise limits are still exceeded.

Schiphol also still has no nature permit, after a court struck it down a year ago, and the government is tolerating this for now.

Kröger said a decree with no prospect of a nature permit is legally very shaky.

Karremans disagrees and says the agriculture ministry’s nitrogen package will eventually resolve it.

Supporters point to jobs

MP Heutink of the Markuszower Group thinks the Council of State’s view of the plans is not that negative and expects the legal problems to be manageable.

He, along with JA21, BBB and the VVD, points to the importance of Schiphol for the economy and the thousands of jobs at and around the airport.

Like Karremans, they say the decree brings clarity.

Conditions for future growth

The decree leaves room for growth if new, quieter planes bring noise down, and VVD MP De Groot wants any such gains turned into more flights.

CDA and D66 want conditions: flights may rise to at most 500,000 a year only if noise clearly falls and none of the growth happens at night.

Parliament votes on that next week.

If you are flying from Schiphol soon, check out our guide to getting through the airport.

Source: NOS