KLM supports the government's wish to achieve a better balance between the interests of local residents and the economic importance of Schiphol and aviation. We endorse the goal of achieving a 20% reduction in noise pollution. Additionally, we believe that the legal protection of local residents must be properly addressed.  

The government is reportedly on the verge of making a significant decision that could have unnecessarily large negative consequences for the future of Schiphol, for KLM, and for the connectivity of the Netherlands with the rest of the world. This leads to a decision-making process that is inconsistent with the essence of a correct and careful Balanced Approach, where achieving the intended policy goal—noise reduction—is central. Reduction of flight movements is not an end in itself, may not be legally sustainable, and carries the risk of retaliation.  

I am writing to you because I want to prevent the government from making a careless and incomplete decision. Your ministry seems to be steering towards shrinkage, while this is not necessary to achieve the noise goal.  

What exactly is going wrong? 
The calculation model used by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (I&W) has been a major stumbling block for months. The sector, Schiphol, and we ourselves have continuously provided input to improve this model so that the government decision can be made properly and carefully. Specifically, we have pointed out the following to your ministry: 

1. Fleet renewal is barely considered The greatest contribution to reducing noise pollution comes from replacing older aircraft with new, quieter planes. As you know, KLM is investing €7 billion in fleet renewal in the coming years. In the calculations commissioned by your ministry, the new aircraft are barely considered, and the noise reduction that can be achieved with them is almost entirely ignored. Ignoring the impact of fleet renewal is contrary to the Balanced Approach. 

2. Impact of tariff differentiation is hardly considered Applying higher tariffs for older, noisier aircraft significantly contributes to encouraging airlines to use new and quieter planes. The model from Schiphol, where all available expertise and information is available, proves that tariff differentiation has a much greater impact than the ministry assumes. Although this fact is confirmed by research from external experts, this effect, which concerns at least 5,000 aircraft movements, is largely ignored in the assumptions and calculations of your ministry. 

3. An obvious calculation error is not corrected Experts from Schiphol, KLM, and the independent NLR have pointed out to the ministry that the model used in the calculation does not correspond with reality. The NLR indicates that the impact of this leads to an underestimation of noise reduction of about 1%, or around 5,000 aircraft movements. Your ministry dismisses this as "a model choice." But it is simply an (easily correctable) error, making the outcome unreliable and therefore unsustainable in the Balanced Approach.  

The Ministry of I&W also overlooks the fact that, in the event of a reduction in the number of flights, there are significant retaliation risks from the United States and other countries. This means that the impact on KLM's network is much greater than the proposed reduction, as KLM cannot choose which flights to cut when the US and other countries impose retaliatory measures. The fact that retaliation is not a theoretical risk became apparent last year when the Ministry of I&W, under your predecessor, presented a reduction scenario that did not meet the requirements of the Balanced Approach and was subsequently taken off the table.  

Altogether, this is a decision-making process that is inconsistent with the essence of a correct and careful Balanced Approach, which should lead to the balance your government is seeking according to the Coalition Agreement.  

I therefore urge you once again to consider the package of measures described in the sector plan Cleaner, Quieter, More Efficient, with which we can achieve a significant reduction in noise pollution by November 1, 2025. This is possible if the identified shortcomings in the model and the assumptions of I&W are corrected. The measures are: 

• We will fly more with our newest and quietest aircraft at night; 
• We will continue our investments in new and quieter aircraft worth €7 billion; 
• Together with Schiphol and the sector, we support the introduction of tariff differentiation, which also significantly contributes to quieter aircraft and thus less noise pollution.  

KLM, like Schiphol and the other involved sector parties, remains ready to support you, the ministry, and the government in the search for a better balance between the interests of local residents and the indispensable pillar that aviation is for Dutch society and the millions of Dutch people who travel with us every year. 

Awaiting your response, 
Sincerely, 

Marjan Rintel 
President & CEO KLM 

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.

KLM and BARIN initially chose not to publish the report, because they have many reservations about the methodology used and the conclusions drawn. As a result, the findings are incomplete and lack balance. The objections boil down to the following:

• In the Social Cost-Benefits Analysis, the effects on climate are calculated at a global level, while the negative effects for passengers and the airline industry are calculated for the Netherlands only. Consequently, the positive outcomes predicted in the Environment & Noise Variant are greatly exaggerated and do not present a realistic scenario.
• The report does not consider the effects of air traffic moving away from Schiphol to other airports in the world.
• The report ignores the risks that the proposed scenario (Environment & Noise Variant) poses to the future of the airline industry in the Netherlands, to employment, the business climate, and to the continued existence of KLM. None of these important factors are sufficiently reflected in the report's calculations and conclusions.

KLM and BARIN will continue to work hard to strike a balance between the airline industry and the environment. KLM has emphasized this in its sector plan “cleaner, quieter and more efficient” and in the “10 Commitments” that KLM and 30 other industry parties and research institutes have signed up to. Together, these highlight the need for greater improvement and a further toughening of measures across the airline industry, which should be implemented globally, or at the very least at a European level.

The Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management is expected to submit the SCBA to the House of Representatives of the Netherlands in the near future. The letter and attachment from KLM and BARIN to the Ministry are enclosed as a download.

A good balance

The Dutch airline industry needs prospects to achieve progress and stay abreast of international developments. By successfully implementing the action agenda together, we aim to achieve the following in the years ahead:

• A good balance with the living environment;
• Keeping the Netherlands well connected to the rest of the world;
• Keeping flying accessible to all Dutch people;
• Stronger global and European policy;
• Maintaining the Netherlands’ position as a leader in the production, logistics and purchase of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF);
• Meeting our 2030 climate targets and making good progress towards achieving net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050;
• More international trains and excellent connectivity with Schiphol;
• More recycling and less residual waste in the airline industry;
• Quieter flights during the day and at night;
• Faster time to market for innovations such as electric and hydrogen-powered flight;
• An agreeable and safe workplace.

Download the 10 commitments here.

The Netherlands faces major challenges in the coming decades, which will require everyone to help make our country greener and cleaner. At the same time, we want to ensure quieter conditions for people living near airports. That is why the Dutch ministry has set new noise targets.

The minister’s plan focuses on drastically reducing the number of flights to achieve these targets as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, this proposal also has many drawbacks. In its current form, the minister’s plan does not revolve around renewal and improvement. No distinction is drawn between newer and older aircraft, which are less clean and less silent. The plan also fails to consider that drastic cutbacks in flights will have an impact on national assets. 

The KLM Group therefore proposes a smarter, three-pronged approach.

Firstly: investment in new aircraft. The money we’re earning today will be invested in tomorrow’s cleaner, quieter, more efficient aircraft. The KLM Group will be investing EUR 6 to 7 billion in this in the coming years. New aircraft are on average 50% more silent than the aircraft they replace, constituting a substantial reduction in noise impact, as supported by figures gathered in recent years.

Secondly, the KLM Group has conducted extensive research into adopting smarter processes that will ensure quieter operations. This will also substantially reduce noise impact. Examples include alternative flight approach procedures, ensuring that aircraft spend less time at low altitudes. This implies different climbing and approach procedures, which makes implementation challenging for airlines as well as Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL). However, if all other operators join the KLM Group in pursuing such change, we will be able to achieve our noise targets in cooperation with Schiphol, LVNL and the government. If these agreements are monitored by the Human Environ­ment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT), we can ensure that all airlines adhere to them.

Thirdly, we will adjust flight schedules so that we deploy our quietest aircraft at night. We also propose that higher airport fees are charged for noisier aircraft than for silent aircraft at Schiphol. This will ensure that there is an incentive for all airlines operating at Schiphol to reduce noise impact by deploying their most silent fleet.

We will achieve our night-time targets from 2024 and, in three years’ time, we will achieve our target for the entire day. In the years thereafter, our plan will lead to a stronger decline in noise than the plan proposed by the minister. In three years’ time, the result will already be better for local residents. It’s a choice between scrapping flights as a short-term solution or aiming for smart improvement.

If everyone is prepared to contribute to this challenge, then our plan will ensure that 18% fewer people experience serious nigh-time noise impact by 2024. By 2026, our smart plan will ensure that 20% fewer people will experience noise nuisance through­out the day. This reduction will continue in subsequent years.

Our aim is to reduce impact on the areas surrounding airports. Aiming solely for fewer flights and a strict 2024 deadline, is not the only way. There are other ways to solve this problem. Our approach ensures that noise impact will continue to decline.

We fully accept our responsibility and are acting accordingly. That is why we wish to engage constructively with one another, so that we opt for the smartest approach that will demonstrably lead to a cleaner, quieter, more fuel-efficient solution.

In that context, the KLM Group, together with other parties in the sector (easyJet, TUI, Corendon, BARIN), sought possible packages of measures that comply with the principles of the Balanced Approach. This has resulted in a package of measures that meets the stated noise targets and is more balanced, reasonable and less costly to society in welfare and prosperity.

Update 31 August 2023: the entire document that was sent to the minister can now be found under downloads.

Click on the image to enlarge or download the infographic

Read the Air France-KLM press release here.

Pilots worked with air traffic controllers to fly the most efficient route, avoiding the detours that flights often face. Loading was fully optimised to ensure the best centre of gravity, improving aerodynamics and generating fuel savings ranging from 1.5 to 2%. Cargo in the belly was stacked on lighter pallets and secured with lighter nets, and transport companies delivering cargo were asked to use vehicles powered by electricity or biodiesel. A total of more than 50 existing and new measures were taken aboard both flights, involving all KLM divisions as well as partners such as Edmonton Airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL) and General Electric. The impact of the latest measures will be evaluated to see whether they are worth implementing in the short term.

The Sustainable Flight Challenge was initiated by a group of enthusiastic KLM employees, who were inspired by the famous London-Melbourne Air Race of 1934, which aimed to expand global access to the world and connect people with one another. Long-distance flights are no longer a challenge to the air transport industry, but sustainability presents a new frontier. That is why the Sustainable Flight Challenge will focus on an everyday, commercial scheduled service.

The performance of the participating airlines will be externally evaluated by a panel of six judges, headed by former Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende. They will decide which airline has performed best in four categories: impact, innovation, scalability and cooperation. The results will be released at the end of June. The knowledge generated during the Sustainable Flight Challenge will be shared among the participating SkyTeam partners.

Watch the video about the production of the kerosene and how the flight was operated.

500 liters delivered, refueled and used

As announced during the conference, the first commercial passenger flight from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to Madrid last month, was carried out on an admixture of 500 liters of sustainable synthetic kerosene. Shell produced the synthetic kerosene in its research center in Amsterdam based on CO₂, water and renewable energy from sun and wind from Dutch soil.

New initiatives and startups

During the conference, the stage was set for various new initiatives and startups. For example, the start-up Synkero announced that it is collaborating with Port of Amsterdam, Schiphol, KLM and SkyNRG on the realization of a commercial synthetic sustainable kerosene factory in the Amsterdam port. The project seeks to link with sustainable initiatives in the North Sea Canal area, such as the establishment of a 100 megawatt hydrogen plant where up to 15,000 tons of green hydrogen can be produced with sustainable electricity.

Another initiative is the construction of a demonstration factory for sustainable kerosene using captured CO₂ from the air as a raw material in Rotterdam. The Zenid initiative, in which Uniper, Rotterdam The Hague Airport, Climeworks, SkyNRG and Rotterdam The Hague Innovation Airport are participating, uses a combination of innovative technologies to focus on CO₂-neutral aviation with sustainable synthetic kerosene.

Several European politicians, including Commissioner Timmermans, the German transport minister Scheuer and his French colleague Djebbari, underlined the importance of developing sustainably produced aviation fuels to reduce CO₂ emissions and give aviation a good future.

Various European member states have indicated during the conference that they want to work on this. In a joint statement, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Luxembourg and Spain indicate that recovery from the current crisis due to the pandemic must go hand in hand with accelerating the sustainability of the aviation sector in order to achieve climate goals and call on the European Commission to come up with a European blending obligation. The Member States view the development of sustainable synthetic kerosene in addition to sustainable biokerosene as one of the most promising and effective ways to reduce aviation emissions in the coming decades.

On photo: Jeroen Kok, captain and engineering pilot B737 (left), Pieter Elbers (middle) and Roland Spelt, Shell fuel operator

Sixteen members
The KLM Corporate SAF Programme was launched in 2012 and now includes sixteen partners, including ABN AMRO, Royal Schiphol Group and Arcadis. These businesses and institutions help KLM finance the purchase of SAF, thereby reducing the CO₂ footprint of their business travel by air. SAF can reduce CO₂ emissions by 85% compared to fossil kerosene, but because it is in short supply and expensive to produce, it is three times more expensive. The SAF purchased by KLM is mixed with fossil fuel and pumped into the refuelling systems at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and in Los Angeles. The SAF is produced and supplied locally at both locations. The total amount of SAF used by KLM in 2019 amounted to less than 1% of all fuel used by KLM.

“That’s less than we would like, of course. We will need to use a lot more of this fuel to substantially reduce CO₂ emissions,” explains Harm Kreulen, director of KLM Benelux. “That is why we will continue to bring the KLM Corporate SAF Programme to the attention of our customers, specifically in this time of crisis. This is the ideal moment for KLM to pursue its ambition to become even more sustainable. The drastic reduction of our CO₂ footprint, with the aid of fleet modernisation, improved operational efficiency and SAF, plays an essential part in this ambition.”

Air France KLM Martinair Cargo SAF Programme
Since the start of the year, our cargo customers can also support the development and production of SAF thanks to the new Air France KLM Martinair Cargo SAF Programme. The first customers to join this programme was Kühne+Nagel, who have agreed to invest in SAF for all cargo kilometres traversed by their shipments on the Los Angeles-Amsterdam route.

“Fly Responsibly”
The KLM Corporate SAF Programme is perfectly in step with the “Fly Responsibly” initiative that KLM launched in 2019, with a view to leading the way towards a more sustainable future for air transport. KLM is striving to achieve this, among other things, by making all its products and processes more sustainable today and in the future. However, real progress can only be achieved if the entire industry gets involved. A key aspect of KLM’s “Fly Responsibly” initiative is to invite passengers to make use of its CO2ZERO CO₂ compensation programme, but also to invite businesses to join the KLM Corporate SAF Programme and cargo customers to join the Air France KLM Martinair Cargo SAF Programme for their airfreight shipments.

KLM has also implemented the flight ban from the United Kingdom, South Africa and South America to the Netherlands as of 23 January. Cargo flights are excepted in the government measures.

For passengers travelling to Amsterdam from high-risk areas antigen tests are required by the Dutch government, in addition to the already existing PCR test requirement. The necessary procedures have also been put into effect. For a number of customers, the imposed 4-hour limit for this antigen test also causes practical problems, because not all airports in the world have antigen testing facilities. KLM helps customers where possible.

The operation to the limited set of safe countries remains unchanged.

Keeping flight operations running in a safe and responsible manner is and remains KLM's priority, also since the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020. This has enabled us to maintain essential travel, repatriation and the transport of necessary cargo so far. In addition, KLM has taken numerous measures on board, such as HEPA filters, facemasks and adjustment of the onboard service. The safety and health of our customers and staff have the highest priority for KLM. KLM also wants to continue to contribute to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, consultation remains necessary on effective and practicable appropriate measures for aviation, taking into account international agreements.

During today's test, an empty KLM Boeing 737 was towed to the runway by the Taxibot. "It's important to find out how far we can cut CO₂ emissions by using the Taxibot," explained KLM's project manager, Jeroen Jaartsveld. "We'd also like to know how long it takes to taxi with the Taxibot, what effect this has on aircraft engine maintenance, and how we might introduce sustainable taxiing with Taxibots on a large scale into Schiphol's daily operations."

Fly Responsibly

KLM's sustainability initiative, Fly Responsibly, launched last year, included a commitment to reducing carbon emissions caused by taxiing. This will contribute to KLM's ambition to cut its fleet's total carbon emissions by 15% compared to 2005.