Five airlines are suing the Netherlands for limiting flights at Schiphol Airport, near Amsterdam, to cut carbon emissions.
KLM Group, Delta, Corendon, easyJet and Tui have joined forces to launch a case against the Dutch government “for keeping the Netherlands connected to the rest of the world via Schiphol Airport,” KLM said in a statement.
The group said the Dutch government’s “unilateral and sudden” decision to reduce Schiphol’s capacity from 500,000 to 460,000 aircraft movements per year was “incomprehensible”.
Airlines have already made “multi-billion euro investments” in decarbonisation, it said, adding that the government’s justification failed to consider “alternative viable noise reduction solutions”.
The KLM Group, which includes KLM, KLM Cityhopper, Martinair and Transavia, accounts for almost 60% of air traffic at Schiphol.
Peter Carter, Delta Executive Vice President, said: “We strongly oppose capacity reductions at Schiphol Airport and remain actively focused on investing in our fleet renewal and modernization program as the most effective way to address noise and environmental concerns.”
The International Air Transport Association, which represents airlines worldwide, also joins the case.