Amsterdam airport faces capacity cut to curb noise emissions

The Dutch government is seeking to reduce the number of annual flights at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport by 4.4% from next November after residents complained about noise, clipping capacity at one of Europe’s busiest aviation hubs. Flight movements will be capped at no more than 478,000 compared with 500,000 permitted until the measure kicks in, the government said in a statement on Friday. The step will help reduce noise levels around the airport by 15%, it said. “I understand that some residents had hoped that the noise around Schiphol would be further reduced,” Infrastructure Minister Barry Madlener said in a statement on Friday. “These are drastic measures for the sector. I am convinced that we have achieved a good balance with this decision.” The Dutch state, the airport’s main shareholder, has run into obstacles with its foray to shrink the hub’s capacity. The previous cabinet was forced to abandon plans to cut flights to a maximum of 460,000 per year after push back from the US and the European Union. The new cabinet floated a smaller shrinkage plan in September, with Madlener proposing between 475,000 and 485,000 flights per year. <br/>