Monday 6 March 2023

Airlines sue Dutch government over flight cuts

Five airlines have stated their intention to sue the Dutch government over its plans to heavily reduce the number of flights from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

EasyJet, Delta, Tui, KLM and Corenden claim the decision is in breach of EU and international law.

Europe’s third-busiest airport will have flight numbers cut, as the government cites the pollution impact on the locality as the reason for its decision.

Flights would drop from 500,000 to 440,000 per year.

The airlines released a joint statement, claiming they are “confident they can reduce noise levels and carbon emissions, while maintaining a network of destinations for the millions of passengers and tonnes of cargo they carry annually to and from Schiphol.”

A spokesperson for the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure responded: “As we are currently facing a potential legal procedure we cannot at this time respond to the arguments shared by KLM and other parties.”

The International Air Transport Association stated that “no meaningful consultation” was had between the government and industry before the announcement.

It added: “The aviation industry is pursuing a net zero carbon emissions goal. This will be achieved primarily through sustainable aviation fuels and new technology. Displacing flights from one airport to another is not going to tackle aviation emissions.”