Five airlines, a tour operator and the International Air Transport Association are suing the Dutch government over caps it has imposed on the number of flights and passengers allowed at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport.
The suit, filed by KLM, Delta, Corendon, Easyjet and TUI, are challenging what they call a ‘political decision’ to limit flight movements to 460,000 a year, down from a previous cap of 500,000.
The government’s given reason for the cut was to cut pollution and the noise impact of aviation. The airlines say that the decision violates EU regulations and the Chicago Convention on aviation, which defines the steps required to manage the noise impact.
As well, they say, they have already invested multi-billions of Euros in programs to lower levels of noise and CO2 emissions that will meet their own and government decarbonization targets.
IATA’s separate challenge argues there has been no ‘meaningful’ consultation with the organizations which will be affected and that flight reductions are being used as a first, not last resort.
