Arrr, ye Dutch government be tossin' the plan to lessen traffic at Schiphol Airport, aye! Walk the plank, mateys!
2023-11-14
Arrr, ye scurvy Dutch government has decided to stow away their grand plans of thinning the number o' flights sailin' in and out of Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, all because o' the global uproar. Walk the plank, I say!
The Dutch government has announced that it is abandoning plans to reduce the number of flights at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, following protests and warnings that the move could breach European law and aviation agreements. The government had previously planned to reduce the number of flights from 500,000 to 460,000 at Schiphol, one of Europe's busiest airports. However, Minister for Infrastructure and Water Mark Harbers has stated that the plan is being shelved "until further notice" and pending a decision by the country's Supreme Court.The decision to abandon the plan comes after a lower court blocked the reduction in flights last May, but an appeals court later overturned that decision. A Supreme Court ruling on the matter is expected in the second quarter of 2024. Schiphol expressed disappointment with the recent developments, as local residents near the airport were hoping for a reduction in noise pollution.
The decision to abandon the plan followed objections from various countries, including the United States, which called the reduction in flights "unjust, discriminatory, and anti-competitive for airlines." Aviation group Airlines for America welcomed the decision and thanked the U.S. government for its involvement in persuading the Dutch government to abandon the plan. The group remains committed to addressing the needs of passengers and shippers while focusing on reducing noise pollution and meeting global climate goals.
Dutch airline KLM also praised the decision, stating that it was an important step to prevent retaliation and to continue flying to the United States. KLM has agreed to several measures to reduce noise pollution and is fully committed to reducing its environmental footprint. However, environmental groups in the Netherlands, including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, called the decision "shocking" and urged for a reduction in flights to address the climate crisis.