IBA Analysis: Amsterdam’s Schiphol flight cap

A selection of airlines led by KLM have announced their intention to sue the Dutch government over planned flight caps at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. The government announced last month that it would limit the number of flights at Schiphol to 440,000 per year by November 2024 (lower than the current provisional cap of 500,000 flights and excluding cargo and military operations). The proposed limits are driven by noise and environmental concerns.

Flight data from IBA Insight reveals that KLM accounted for just over 50% of flights that departed from Schiphol in 2022. The Dutch flag carrier is joined in legal action by a range of operators including easyJet, TUI, Delta Air Lines and Corendon Airlines. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is also planning a legal challenge, citing violations of EU law and the Chicago Convention.

Jeni Stanley, ESG Manager at IBA, says: “The decision by airlines to take legal proceedings against the Dutch government is entirely understandable. While Schiphol Airport should of course be continually striving to reduce noise and pollution levels, it should be doing this collaboratively with its airline partners rather than using the blunt tool of a flight cap.

“This restriction takes no account of each airline’s sustainability efforts, and will impede the growth of these carriers in this important time of post-pandemic recovery.”