IATA: The Netherlands’ aviation regulation is completely out of control
IATA’s deputy director general has blasted the Netherlands for unilateral decision-making and mismanagement of its major airport.
As the mouthpiece of the global aviation industry, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) keeps a close eye on regulators and policymakers around the world. Most of the time, regulators and governments are keen to work with the association and only implement major changes in full consultation with IATA’s experts.
However, some situations don’t work this way, and that can leave IATA scrambling to understand the impacts unilateral decision-making will have on aviation. One such case has arisen with the aviation regulations being applied in the Netherlands, an issue that was a hot topic at today’s IATA Global Media Days event.
Speaking at the event, Conrad Clifford, SVP & Deputy Director General at IATA, said of the Netherlands,
“This is a country where the regulation is completely out of control.”
He went on to explain why.
In the summer of 2022, the Dutch government announced a proposed limitation on aircraft movements at the major international Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. That in itself wasn’t unprecedented. Heathrow made a similar move to cap outgoing passenger traffic to cope with high demand and low staffing. But Heathrow’s cap was temporary and was lifted at the start of November. Schiphol’s cap, reducing aircraft movements from 500,000 to 440,000, is set to come in next year and will be permanent.
Although the Dutch ambition to reduce noise and NOx emissions is a worthy cause, Clifford condemned the lack of discussion with the industry before announcing this sweeping change.
“This came without any warning or consultation. The government has reluctantly agreed to a consultation based on the ICAO approach, but since the decision has already been taken, it’s not clear what the consultation will achieve.”
A post-decision consultation is barely a consultation at all. IATA is calling for the decision to be reversed and for a scientific, evidence-backed approach to be taken before such a drastic change is made. Clifford added,
No assessment has been made the economic and social damage the cuts will cause and the government hasn’t presented any up to date data to explain the benefits of NOx and noise. It’s essential that the Dutch government start again with a public consultation based on accurate data and with a full economic and environmental assessment.”