Schiphol flights to be limited to 11% below 2019 levels to cut noise, emissions

Flights from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport will be limited to 440,000 a year, 11% less than in 2019, to cut noise pollution, the Dutch government said on Friday, drawing praise from green groups but dismay from airlines bosses. The decision follows a move by Schiphol itself, in which the Dutch state is the majority shareholder, to impose a cap on the number passengers it can carry this summer - although that was due to staffing shortages. The government also pointed to the airport's impact on "nature and climate" for the cuts, following criticism from environmental campaigners and the left-wing opposition for its greenhouse gas and nitrogen oxide emissions. The move is intended to restore "the balance between a well-operating international airport, the business climate, and the interests of a better and healthier living environment", Transportation Minister Mark Harbers said in a statement announcing the decision. "This is a difficult message for the aviation sector that is still recovering from the far-reaching consequences of the coronavirus pandemic," he said. KLM, the Dutch arm of Air France-KLM, said the move, due to come into effect from the start of next year, would be "highly detrimental" and it would harm the country's reputation as a reliable place to do business. "It does not tally with the desire to retain a strong hub function" for Schiphol, and it would "fail to improve our quality of life and climate", KLM said.<br/>