KLM criticizes Schiphol night flight cuts, noisier aircraft ban

KLM has criticized the Dutch government's renewed push to reduce capacity at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport (AMS), which includes proposals to limit night flights and ban certain aircraft, as “harmful and not proportionate.” The Netherlands’ infrastructure minister Mark Harbers has outlined a revised package of measures to reduce noise pollution. These include limiting annual night flights from 32,000 to 27,000 from November 2025 and banning the loudest aircraft—such as the Boeing 747-400—from operating between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. In a letter to parliament, the minister also said the government was undertaking a consultation over a partial night closure at the airport. That could see restrictions on arriving and departing flights between midnight and 6 a.m. from November 2026. KLM said it was committed to reducing the noise impact for Schiphol-area residents while maintaining international connectivity. The aviation industry’s “cleaner, quieter and more fuel-efficient” plan can meet noise reduction targets without drastically cutting flights, the airline said.<br/>