Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport has quietly dropped its plans to ban night flying despite continued strong opposition from local residents, Dutch media reported on Tuesday.
The airport submitted a position paper, along with several major airlines and aircraft manufacturers including national flag carrier KLM, to the parties trying to form a new government calling for “no further night closures” as part of a programme to ensure the future of aviation.
In 2023 Schiphol’s chief executive, Ruud Sondag, set out an eight-point plan which included banning take-offs and landings between midnight and 5am, a move that was welcomed by people living nearby.
Sondag was replaced the following year by Pieter van Oord, who has prioritised the interests of the aviation industry over local residents. “The people who aren’t happy with Schiphol live in Drenthe,” he claimed at a press conference last year.
This week a coalition of 15 local councils around Schiphol, including Amsterdam, Haarlem and Zaanstad, called for the next government to ban night flying between 11pm and 7am to protect local residents’ health. They said disrupted nights damage cognitive functioning and cause other problems such as heart disease.
The position paper, reported in the Volkskrant, argues that night flights have already been reduced by 30% and that the industry has taken steps to cut noise by introducing quieter aircraft and encouraging people to take the train for shorter journeys.
The last cabinet had pledged to cut the maximum number of flights per year from 500,000 to 478,000, but the Council of State said it had not properly explained how this would benefit local residents.
The industry players may be hoping to exploit differences between the parties negotiating to form the next coalition government on whether night flying should be further curtailed.
Coalition differences
The progressive-liberal D66 says noise pollution around Schiphol needs to be taken seriously, while the Christian Democrats have called for a balanced approach to meet the needs of industry, the environment and residents. But the pro-business VVD wants to stimulate the aviation sector and is opposed to banning night flights.
A spokesman for Schiphol acknowledged that the airport has changed its stance on night flying, partly because any changes to the cabinet’s aviation policy would have to be approved by the European Commission.
“That would lead to long-term uncertainty, which we view as undesirable and risky,” the spokesman said.
Brussels requires member states to consider all options to reduce noise pollution and only introduce restrictions on flights as a last resort.
The spokesman said the change of policy was “not a secret” for the airport’s shareholders. But Amsterdam city council, which owns 20% of the shares, said it was surprised by the news when approached by the Volkskrant.
Hester van Buren, the city’s alderman responsible for aviation, said: “I’m constantly being told: ‘We’re not talking about whether or not we introduce a night flying ban. So it’s a surprise to me that Schiphol is now lobbying against night closures.”
