Dutch authorities cabinets plans to cut back flights from Amsterdam’s busy Schiphol Airport

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Dutch authorities mentioned Tuesday it has deserted, for now, plans to rein in flights at Amsterdam’s busy Schiphol Airport following protests from international locations together with the United States and warnings that the transfer may breach European legislation and aviation agreements.

The authorities final 12 months introduced plans to cut back the variety of flights from 500,000 per 12 months to 460,000 at Schiphol, certainly one of Europe’s busiest aviation hubs.

In a letter to lawmakers Minister for Infrastructure and Water Mark Harbers mentioned the plan was being shelved “until further notice” and not less than pending a call by the nation’s Supreme Court.

The courtroom is contemplating the federal government’s enchantment in opposition to a decrease courtroom’s resolution in May that blocked plans to cut back the variety of flights. The Supreme Court ruling is anticipated within the second quarter of 2024.

Schiphol mentioned in an announcement it was “disappointed by the recent developments, as local residents are getting the short end of the stick.”

The deliberate cuts had been meant to cut back noise air pollution for residents close to the airport on Amsterdam’s southern outskirts.

Schiphol mentioned the choice would result in “more uncertainty, including for the aviation sector itself. It is time that hindrance for local residents is noticeably reduced.”

In his letter to lawmakers, Harbers wrote that U.S. authorities had known as the discount in flights “unjust, discriminatory and anti-competitive for airlines.”

Dutch airline KLM known as the choice to shelve the plan “an important step to prevent retaliation and to continue flying to the US.”

KLM mentioned in an announcement it has agreed to quite a few introduced measures, together with a “cleaner, quieter and more economical plan, to accelerate the reduction of noise pollution,” including it shares the federal government’s environmental considerations and is “fully committed to reducing its environmental footprint.”

Environmental teams in the Netherlands, together with Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, known as the choice “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 teams 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.