KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and IATA have welcomed a Dutch Supreme Court ruling stating that any measure to reduce capacity at Amsterdam Schiphol must comply with the balanced approach to noise management mandated by EU legislation. The ruling overturned an earlier decision to reduce flight numbers unilaterally.
IATA’s Director General Willie Walsh urged the Dutch government to respect the Supreme Court’s decision and apply the balanced approach, emphasizing the importance of managing airport noise while maintaining air connectivity and mitigating impacts for residents.
KLM supported the court’s ruling, stating its commitment to connecting the Netherlands with the world while considering environmental balance. The airline proposed a plan to reduce noise pollution without reducing aircraft movements.
The legal battle initiated by KLM Group and IATA following the Dutch government’s decision to cut Schiphol’s capacity ultimately resulted in the Supreme Court ruling that the capacity cut from 500,000 to 440,000 flights annually did not comply with EU regulations on noise management.
EU regulations require governments to:
- consult with all affected parties;
- use flight reductions as a last resort;
- balance the needs and concerns of residents, the environment, and the local economy for aviation’s economic and social benefits.
IATA says the Schiphol cap fails to meet requirements because:
- there was no meaningful consultation with the aviation industry;
- flight reductions were being imposed as a first resort rather than as a last resort;
- it did not address the need to restore the post-Covid-19 economic damage to the aviation industry of the Netherlands.
