Schiphol restrictions will come at expense of connectivity, say A4E, ERA and IATA
Following Amsterdam Schiphol Airport’s decision to cap annual flights at 478,000, A4E, ERA and IATA have responded saying that noise reduction should be the focus, not unnecessary flight reduction.
They say restrictions will come at the expense of connectivity and could undermine the EU Single Market.
The European Commission’s previous decision said that cutting flights shouldn’t be the goal, achieving meaningful noise reduction should be.
A4E, ERA and IATA argue that its recommendations must be followed, as they uphold the ‘Balanced Approach’ to noise management and protect the integrity of the Single Market.
The six measures presented by the Dutch authorities are solely targeted at commercial aviation, despite the noise emitted by general and business aviation being included in the baseline scenario.
This exclusion is discriminatory and contradicts the principles of fair treatment and market access, say A4E, ERA and IATA.
Montserrat Barriga, Director General, ERA, said: “Noise reduction must be the focus, not unnecessary flight reduction and restrictions that come at the expense of connectivity. ERA advocates for a collaborative, evidence-based approach to address noise concerns, rather than unilateral capacity restrictions that disrupt connectivity and the Single Market.”
“The European Commission has carefully evaluated each proposed measure,” said Ourania Georgoutsakou, Managing Director of Airlines for Europe.
“The Commission’s observations can’t simply be ignored. We stand by our members as they explore legal avenues to ensure that noise mitigation efforts are fair, effective and proportionate.”
Rafael Schvartzman, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Europe, said: “Contrary to the Dutch Government’s claims, the EU Commission’s assessment specifically states that the Dutch Government ‘did not fully follow’ the Balanced Approach at Schiphol. Most fundamentally, the process cannot be driven by a predetermination that annual operations must be reduced to a certain level.
“The Minister’s failure to adhere to the prescribed procedure and misinterpretation of the EU Decision undermines the integrity of the Balanced Approach process across the EU as a whole and the Netherlands’ legal obligations under air services agreements.
“A new Balanced Approach is urgently required to rectify these findings prior to any implementation of flight reductions.”
