Party D66 wants to ban night flights at Schiphol between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m as it is disrupting the sleep and health of local residents. The number of night flights at Schiphol is larger than most airports in Europe, with around 32,000 night flights each year.
The night flights are mainly for cargo and cheap touristy flights – banning these will not influence the role that Schiphol plays as a transfer point for travelers and its pivotal economic hub status.
Others have urged for a reduction on the number of flights, rather than a ban. For example, last week the Council for the Living Environment and Infrastructure advised for a limit on the number of night flights. This is also what a majority of the House of Representatives wants.
The House of Representatives is talking to minister Van Nieuwenhuizen today about aviation. In the past there has even been talks about about building a big Dutch airport in the North-sea.