KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL, Amsterdam Schiphol) wants talks with the Dutch government on alternatives to its green policy plans to cap capacity at Amsterdam Schiphol, arguing that fleet renewal would be a better option for reducing noise and carbon emissions.
Dutch lawmakers want to cut the number of flight movements at the airport from 500,000 to 440,000 annually (of which 29,000 at night) by the end of 2023 for five years while developing a new system of environmental standards. The cabinet proposes switching flights from Schiphol to Lelystad to safeguard route networks.
As the home carrier with the largest share of flights at Schiphol, KLM fears it may have to cancel up to 30 destinations - 25 in Europe and five intercontinental - according to a position paper it has sent to the House of Representatives in The Hague.
In a statement on October 6, the carrier argued that reduced airport capacity would benefit neither travellers nor the broader route network nor the Netherlands in general.
"Moreover, it restricts the earning capacity of airlines wanting to invest in sustainability. Fleet renewal offers a better alternative than capacity reduction. It will ensure a greater reduction in noise and emissions and allow travellers to keep flying. This will enable us to strike a better balance in the interests of Schiphol, the environment, the surrounding community, and travellers. We would like to discuss this alternative with the Dutch government," the airline declared.
"I share the cabinet's aim of striking a balance between the interests of a good airport, the surrounding community, and the environment," elaborated KLM CEO Marjan Rintel. "To this, I want to add the interests of travellers. The cabinet's current solution is to strike a better balance by reducing operational capacity at Schiphol. Calculations show that fleet renewal is a better alternative for reducing noise and CO2 emissions. This implies that it is a better solution for all. This is the issue I would like to address with the government."
A 2015 impact analysis quoted in the Dutch parliament on October 3 painted negative scenarios where KLM could decide to consolidate and close its Schiphol hub, resulting in the loss of 14,300 jobs at the airport and an economic loss of EUR1.13 billion euros (USD1.2 billion).
