Sorry night owls, but Schiphol airport intends to ban all overnight flights by the end of 2025.
This measure is intended to prevent noise nuisance around the airport for people living in the area, reports the airport’s interim CEO, Ruud Sondag, to Het Parool.
What do the measures mean?
According to Sondag, Schiphol will be locked between midnight and 5 in the morning, meaning that no air or freight traffic will be able to use the runways. It’ll only be possible for planes to land and start taking off again after six o’clock.
Sondag plans to ban the noisiest aircraft from November, such as the outdated Boeing 747. But that’s not all, as private jets, which account for approximately 17,000 flights, are also on the ban list.
The only exceptions to this rule will be with trauma helicopters, police helicopters, and coast guard aircraft.
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However, this decision will have consequences on holiday flights to and from Schiphol airport. With far fewer night flights, flying to your dream vacation will now become a lot more expensive. 🏖️
Restoring trust with local residents
The decision to cancel night flights is mainly because Sondag wants to restore the trust of local residents, who have to deal with the excessive noise from the planes.
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“We have to choose local residents who have been experiencing nuisance for so long,” Sondag reports to Het Parool. There will also be a new Schiphol Fund for more noise protection initiatives.
Schiphol predicts that the changes in place will reduce the ‘serious nuisance’ that about 17,5000 nearby residents face. In fact, the ban on overnight flights alone will cut down on ‘serious sleep disturbances’ by over 54%.
In addition to this, the airport will no longer press forward with plans for a new runway.
What do you think about night flights being banned within two years? Tell us in the comments below!