KLM responds to revised package of measures issued by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management

We have taken note of the letter that the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management sent to the House of Representatives stipulating a revised package of measures.

KLM is committed to further reducing noise impact for people residing in the greater Schiphol area. We are an international trading nation and KLM wants to keep connecting the Netherlands with the rest of the world, in balance with the environment. A similar ambition is acknowledged in the new government’s coalition agreement.

Our industry-wide plan “Cleaner, quieter and more fuel-efficient” shows that we can achieve the government's noise reduction target without drastically reducing the number of flight movements at Schiphol. This revised package includes various elements of our plan, including our proposals for tariff differentiation, higher airport fees for noisy aircraft, and fleet renewal with quieter aircraft.

Unfortunately, the package also includes measures that are harmful and not proportionate. This includes the proposed blanket ban on certain aircraft types from 2025, without giving our industry time to seek suitable alternatives. This would have major consequences for our cargo operation, where we ordered new, quieter aircraft two years ago, which are only expected to be delivered in 2026.

This means there’s a focus on shrinkage, instead of seeking a balanced approach to reducing noise impact. This ignores potential consequences such as countermeasures for Dutch airlines abroad, legal feasibility, and damage to the Netherlands as a trading nation.

It is of great importance that we carefully pursue a balanced approach that complies with European guidelines and that we jointly seek a good solution that is in the best interests of the communities surrounding Schiphol and that acknowledges the importance of air transport for the Netherlands. European regulations state that shrinkage should never be an end in itself, we must continue to focus on noise reduction. KLM is in favour of integrated implementation of the industry-wide plan “Cleaner, quieter and more fuel-efficient”, which will ensure that the government's noise reduction target is achieved within the designated period, without undue damage to our industry and the local business climate.

We will carefully examine the proposed measures in this revised package before presenting our vision in more detail.