Amsterdam Schiphol has published new proposals to limit night flights at the airport, as well as banning private jets and “the noisiest aircraft”.

The hub airport recently announced plans to limit flight movements until 2024, in a bid to cut air and noise pollution, although a number of airlines including Dutch carrier KLM are challenging the decision.

The new proposals call for a ban on aircraft taking off between 0000 and 0600, with no arrivals between 0000 and 0500, to help reduce “the number of people experiencing noise nuisance”.

The airport said that the move would mean 10,000 fewer night flights each year, and it also plans to “limit the reallocation of flights to the very start or very end of the night/early morning as much as possible”.

In addition Schiphol said that “there will be no second Kaagbaan Runway, and private jets and the noisiest aircraft will no longer be welcome”.

The airport said that the above measures “will apply no later than 2025-2026”.

“Schiphol connects the Netherlands with the rest of the world,” said Ruud Sondag, CEO of Royal Schiphol Group.

“We want to keep doing that, but we must do it better. The only way forward is to become quieter and cleaner more rapidly. We have thought about growth but too little about its impact for too long. We need to be sustainable for our employees, the local environment and the world.

I realise that our choices may have significant implications for the aviation industry, but they are necessary. This shows we mean business. It is the only way, based on concrete measures, to regain the trust of employees, passengers, neighbours, politics and society.”

The airport said it would consult on the measures with airlines, but in response to the proposals KLM released the following statement:

“Like Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, we believe that our operations should be in balance with our surroundings and the climate. We would prefer to work with the rest of the aviation industry on developing further measures to reduce CO2 emissions and noise pollution.

“We are astonished that Schiphol is unilaterally putting forward proposals that will have far-reaching consequences for airlines, without involving the industry parties in this process. Only through a collaborative, sector-wide approach can the aviation industry achieve a balance between its surroundings and the climate.

“It should be noted that Amsterdam Airport Schiphol itself plays a vital role in this respect, for example in terms of ethical and sustainable employment practices and working conditions at the airport.

“Together, we can arrive at an alternative that will have the support of all parties and will therefore be effective. In consultation with the other airlines based at Schiphol, our strategic partner Delta Air Lines, and aviation industry organizations, we will submit our views on this matter to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management by 15 June at the latest. Schiphol remains welcome to join these consultations.

“We will revisit Schiphol’s proposals at a later date in the course of the European Union’s Balanced Approach procedure.”

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schiphol.com, klm.com