Netherlands: Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport nears ‘safety limits’

Amsterdam‘s rapidly growing Schiphol airport is reaching its limits for the safe movement of planes on its busy airstrips, the Dutch safety watchdog warned recently, saying runway risks needed to be addressed before any further expansion. “There are no indications that the airport is unsafe at this point, but stakeholders need to act to reduce the safety risks,” the OVV said in the 215-page report. The aviation hub is now one of the top 5 busiest in Europe. Last year, some 63.6m passengers passed through Schiphol, up from 58m in 2015, according to airport figures. The safety watchdog launched a probe after “several incidents over the last few years”, it said, including so-called “runway incursions”, planes taking off from taxiways, or taking off or landing without permission from air traffic control. <br/>