KLM has described as “incomprehensible” a Dutch government intention to limit Amsterdam Schiphol flight movements to 478,000 next year. The government says it wants to reduce by 15% the number of people seriously affected by noise in the hub’s vicinity – part of an overall 20% noise-protection target. It states that the flight-movement cap is the “final part” of a package of anti-noise measures submitted to the European Commission. The government had indicated, earlier this year, a cap of 475,000-485,000 movements. But it states that, in order to meet an initial noise-reduction target, it would have had to cut movements to 467,000. Schiphol recorded 441,969 movements in 2023. The Dutch cabinet says it has “re-evaluated all the interests involved”, and acknowledges that a flight cut below the lower limit of 475,000 would be “too great a burden” for the air transport sector. It has opted for a 478,000-movement cap and will make up the remainder of its overall 20% noise-reduction target trough other means. The government says the measures are “not optional” and “will be monitored”.<br/>
sky
Comac C919 operators China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines have begun deploying the aircraft type to more points on their domestic networks. Launch customer China Eastern began operating the narrowbody from Shanghai to Chongqing and Wuhan – the seventh and eighth points in its C919 network – on 3 and 4 December, respectively. Both flights will be operated daily, says China Eastern. The network expansion comes as the SkyTeam carrier took delivery of its ninth C919, registered B-657T (MSN015). The aircraft is also the first C919 to be fitted with in-flight streaming services. China Eastern currently operates the C919 to six other cities: Chengdu, Beijing Daxing, Guangzhou, Xian, Shanghai Hongqiao and Taiyuan. As for China Southern, it will operate the C919 on flights between its Guangzhou hub and Haikou on Hainan island. The inaugural flight will commence 11 December, marking the first time the C919 is operating to Hainan, says China Southern. Haikou is the fifth domestic point to see C919 operations, after Guangzhou, Shanghai Hongqiao, Hangzhou and Chengdu. The C919 currently operates with China’s three largest carriers: Air China, China Eastern and China Southern. Other customers include Hainan Airlines units Suparna Airlines and Urumqi Air, as well as Tibet Airlines, who will be the launch operator of the high-altitude version of the C919. <br/>