Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Wants to Ban Private Jets

Photo: Kayhan Ertugrul / Wikimedia Commons

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Europe’s busiest airport, has struggled to operate with reduced staff numbers while working to limit the airport’s impact on the environment. Last year, the Dutch airport capped the daily number of departing passengers at about 67,500 people. Schiphol has recently re-instituted passengers caps and is aiming to ban private jets from the airport, among a raft of other measures.

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Schiphol Airport announced that it would completely ban private jets and small business aviation by 2025 or 2026. CNN reports the ban is desired because of the disproportionate amount of noise and carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution per passenger created by private flights. Schiphol claimed that a private flight produces 20 times more CO2 emissions than a commercial flight. The airport has also scrapped plans to expand capacity and build a seventh runway.

Schiphol has stated that private passengers could just fly commercial and cited that passenger carriers are already serving the most popular destinations for private jets from Schiphol. At most, half of the private flights departing Schipol are to holiday destinations in Europe.

Ruud Sondag, CEO Royal Schiphol Group, said in a statement:

“Schiphol connects the Netherlands with the rest of the world. We want to keep doing that, but we must do it better. The only way forward is to become quieter and cleaner more rapidly. We have thought about growth but too little about its impact for too long. We need to be sustainable for our employees, the local environment and the world. I realize that our choices may have significant implications for the aviation industry, but they are necessary. This shows we mean business. It is the only way, based on concrete measures, to regain the trust of employees, passengers, neighbors, politics and society.”

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The ultimate goal for Schiphol would be to restrict commercial flights based on time of day and CO2 emissions, instead of an outright number. The Dutch airport will also close completely at midnight every night, then reopen for landings at 5:00 a.m. and take-offs at 6:00 a.m. to limit nighttime noise pollution for nearby communities. The airport wants to keep the Netherlands connected to the rest of the world while being mindful of the local community and the environment.