by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 4:05 PM ET, Wed November 15, 2023
In a blow to groups hoping to address noise and climate change issues, the Dutch government is temporarily abandoning plans to reduce the number of flights at Amsterdam’s busy Schiphol Airport.
The announcement comes after protests from a variety of quarters including the United States government and airline groups. Those opposed to the proposed flight cutbacks had said the move could breach European law and also aviation agreements.
Under the proposal, the Dutch government was seeking to reduce the number of flights to the airport from 500,000 to 460,000.
However, in the latest development surrounding the ongoing saga, the Dutch Minister for Infrastructure and Water, Mark Harbers, penned a letter to lawmakers stating that the first phase of the reduction plan, which was expected to start in 2024, is being scrapped “until further notice.”
That further notice may come in the form of a decision from the Dutch Supreme Court. While a lower court blocked plans to reduce flight numbers, an appeals court later overturned the decision. Now, the Supreme Court is expected to weigh-in on the matter. That should happen sometime in the second quarter of 2024, according to ABC News.
Officials at Schiphol airport meanwhile, expressed dismay over the Dutch government’s decision to hold off on flight reductions. In a statement issued by the airport, officials said they were “disappointed by the recent developments, as local residents are getting the short end of the stick.”
The flight reductions were aimed at not only cutting noise issues surrounding the airport but also would have addressed emissions that contribute to climate change.
Schiphol officials added in their statement that this latest turn of events would only bring about “more uncertainty, including for the aviation sector itself. It is time that hindrance for local residents is noticeably reduced.”
The United States may have played a significant role in bringing about today’s news. Harbers said in his letter to lawmakers that the U.S. had the labeled the planned flight reductions “unjust, discriminatory and anti-competitive for airlines.”
The aviation industry group Airlines for America however, applauded the news, according to ABC News. The organization added however that it "remains committed to addressing both the needs of passengers and shippers while continuing to focus on reaching aviation’s global climate goals, including reducing noise pollution.”
On the other end of the spectrum, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, described the new decision “shocking.”
“There is so much at stake here. As a result, local residents are left in the lurch and the climate is further heated,” the groups wrote.
“This is a major setback, but the number of flights will have to be reduced to make the Netherlands livable and to tackle the climate crisis,” they added.
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