Step 2: Reducing noise and establishing fewer flights per year

We want to reduce aircraft noise in the area surrounding Schiphol by applying a package of measures. The measures, including a lower number of flights, will be enacted in laws and regulations.

The Cabinet follows European rules for this: the balanced approach procedure. The Netherlands is the first country to go through the procedure on such a scale.

The package of measures

The package by which the government intends to reduce aircraft noise around Schiphol consists of the following measures.

Measures to reduce noise around Schihol — Measures to reduce noise around Schiphol

Quieter aircraft at night
KLM will only use their least noisy aircraft at night.
Increasing the charges at Schiphol
Noisy aircraft will pay more to use Schiphol. This will stimulate airlines to land and depart from Schiphol using the quietest possible aircraft.
New aircraft
Airlines are replacing a portion of their fleet with new, less noisy aircraft.
Excluding the noisiest aircraft at night
Aircraft must meet stricter noise standards to land and take off at Schiphol between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Fewer flights at night
The maximum number of night flights is reduced to 27,000 per year (was 32,000).
Lower total number of flights
The Cabinet has now chosen to include a bandwidth of 475,000-485,000 flights in the additional notification. Exactly how many may be flown in the future is currently being calculated and will be known in the fall.

The Cabinet aims to have all measures in place by November 2025.

Evaluation of the measures

The Cabinet will evaluate the effects once the package has been in force for a year. It will then decide what further steps to take. The results of the ongoing study on a (partial) night closure of Schiphol will also be taken into consideration.

Establishing an Airport Traffic Decree

The package of measures will be submitted to the European Commission for its opinion. This is prescribed in the balanced approach procedure. The Cabinet will then take a final decision on the measures and stipulate the number of flights in an Airport Traffic Decree. This will re-establish up-to-date rules that local residents can rely on. It will also help restore their legal status. The number of daytime and night-time flights will also be prevented from growing to the levels seen before the COVID-19 years.

Documents

The measures were submitted to the European Commission by means of a so-called 'notification document'. Please find the document here.