A business group has proposed building a runway in the ocean to relieve congestion at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, and the idea is getting serious consideration. The offshore runway would be linked to the main terminal by a rail shuttle.
Schiphol is one of Europe’s busiest, and has already hit its official limit of 500,000 landings and take-offs per year through 2020. And even though some have suggested it could then rise to 650,000, the airport’s advisory group says only 30,000 more could be safely added to the present configuration.
Plans to shift some flights to other airports are in the works, but the main one, to turn nearby Lelyveld into a passenger airport for flights under 500km and reserve Schiphol for longer flights, has been repeatedly delayed and is opposed both by Lelyveld’s neighbors and by some airlines.
