KLM Consents to Publication of Schiphol Flight Reductions Impact Study

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has agreed to the publication of a critical report examining the impact of proposed flight cuts at Amsterdam Schiphol, despite initial reservations. The study, conducted jointly with Royal Schiphol Group in 2023 and commissioned by the Netherlands’ Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management, faced controversy when its findings were disclosed without the consensus of all involved parties.

The airline initially resisted the report’s release, arguing that its findings lacked comprehensiveness and balance. A statement from KLM and the Board of Airline Representatives in the Netherlands (BARIN), which speaks for 50 airlines operating in the country, criticized the report for calculating climate effects on a global scale while focusing the negative impacts solely on the Netherlands. This approach, they claimed, exaggerated the benefits of the proposed Environmental & Noise Variant and failed to present a realistic outlook.

Concerns were also raised that the report did not account for the potential shift of air traffic from Schiphol to other global airports and overlooked the significant risks this scenario could pose to the Dutch airline industry’s future, employment, the business climate, and KLM’s sustainability.

The disputed study, crafted by SEO research agency, Significance transport consultancy, and CE Delft environmental consultants, suggests that increasing air passenger taxes would be a more effective measure for addressing environmental concerns than reducing Schiphol’s flight capacity. The report explored two scenarios: the government’s proposal to cap aircraft movements at 440,000 per year and an alternative Environmental & Noise Variant advocating for higher passenger taxes based on flight distance, fewer night flights, and incentives for clean fuel usage.

KLM and other airlines previously initiated legal action against the Dutch government following its decision to impose flight limitations at Schiphol. Representing approximately 60% of the airport’s total traffic, KLM subsequently welcomed Schiphol’s decision to permit 483,000 aircraft movements in 2024, a compromise from earlier proposals. Starting March 30, 2024, the airline will also align with environmental efforts by ceasing incoming flights to Schiphol between 0000L and 0600L (2300Z-0500Z), demonstrating its commitment to reducing noise and pollution.