Aviation Debate Strategy
BARIN outlines four priorities below that are decisive for a future-proof and responsible Dutch aviation sector.
- A robust and legally sustainable Airport Traffic Decree In recent years, the sector, local residents, and policymakers have dealt with a series of shifting targets—ranging from 500,000 to 400,000, 460,000, and now 478,000 flight movements. This uncertainty is harmful to all parties involved.
The core of the discussion has now shifted from numbers to noise, and rightly so. Noise targets for the night have already been met; those for the day are within reach. It is now time to establish this trajectory in a robust Airport Traffic Decree (LVB): 478,000 flight movements per year, with a maximum of 27,000 at night. If noise targets are fully achieved (-15% and -5% respectively), further growth becomes possible. The ceiling is therefore 478,000 “comma,” not “period”.
Supplemented by the necessary nature permit and the outcome of the European Balanced Approach procedure, this provides the legal certainty that airlines, Schiphol, and local residents are entitled to—definitively removing legal uncertainty.
- Competitive costs for Schiphol Competitiveness goes beyond airport charges. The latter increased by a staggering 41% last year, instantly making Schiphol the most expensive airport in Europe.
The idea of further increasing ticket taxes now—to more than seven times that of Belgium—is nonsensical. After all, it was the previous cabinet that made this decision under a completely different geopolitical and economic climate. BARIN therefore urges the government to abandon this plan.
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel as a strategic priority (“Never waste a good crisis”) The transition away from fossil kerosene is both necessary and promising. This is endorsed by Wennink in his report and by Lodewijk Asscher as chairman of the Sustainable Aviation Table. The Netherlands has the infrastructure and position to lead the way in Europe regarding Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
BARIN advocates for targeted stimulation of both the production and use of SAF, partly by utilizing a portion of the revenue from the flight ticket tax—approximately 700 million euros—for this purpose. Turn this crisis into a strategic turning point.
- Investing in the electric aviation of tomorrow The Netherlands has many promising companies in the field of electric flight. A brilliant example is Elysian, which is well advanced in developing an electric aircraft with 80 to 100 seats and a range of approximately 800 kilometers. This type of innovation deserves active policy support, not just as a climate measure, but as an opportunity for the Dutch economy.
BARIN will remain committed to advocating for these four points. We hope to see them reflected on the third Tuesday of September!
