Runway availability: Runway maintenance and works

As a result of the construction of dual taxiways, the Kaagbaan Runway will be unavailable for landing at times of poor visibility – such as when there is fog or low cloud – from 4 September 2023 to 19 February 2024. The runway can continue to be used for take-off in all visibility conditions. And when visibility is good, landing will be possible. When visibility is limited and there’s a northerly wind, the Aalsmeerbaan Runway can be deployed for landing during the day. The Zwanenburgbaan Runway will be available for landing at night.

Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL) is working on the landing system computers in the shelter next to the runway while the Polderbaan Runway undergoes maintenance. After these works, test flights need to be carried out to check that the entire landing system is working as it should. According to international safety regulations, the landing system then needs to function correctly for 30 days before landings can be made in limited visibility conditions. Only after this period of 30 days can the Polderbaan Runway be deployed for landing at times of limited visibility. During this period, the Zwanenburgbaan Runway can be deployed for landing, both during the day and at night, when there's a southerly wind and limited visibility. When visibility is good, the Polderbaan can be used for landing.

Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL) is conducting test flights on the Polderbaan runway on Friday 17 and Saturday 25 November and Saturday 2 December. The Polderbaan runway will not be available for air traffic during these tests. As the Zwanenburgbaan runway is also unavailable during the test flights, we will use the Kaagbaan, Buitenveldertbaan, Schiphol-Oostbaan and Aalsmeerbaan runways to land and take-off. If the test flights cannot take place on the scheduled dates due to circumstances, such as bad weather, Friday 24 November, Sunday 26 November and Sunday 3 December have been reserved as spare dates. In addition, LVNL will conduct ground tests on the runway during the day on Monday 20 November.

Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL) will conduct test flights on Zwanenburgbaan Runway (18C) on Wednesday 29 November in preparation for work on the ILS system scheduled for 2024. During the test flights, Runway 18C will not be available for regular air traffic. At those times, the other runways will be used. A more up-to-date forecast of runway use is published in advance on the website of the Local Community Contact Centre Schiphol (only Dutch). These test flights were initially scheduled for Monday 27 November, but were rescheduled due to bad weather.

From Monday 6 November to Wednesday 15 November, the Polderbaan Runway is not available due to maintenance. It is expected that the Zwanenburgbaan and Buitenveldertbaan runways will be deployed for both take-off and landing on these days. The Schiphol-Oostbaan Runway may be used as a secondary runway. This depends on a variety of factors, including the weather conditions (showers, wind force and direction), runway availability and air traffic volumes. Air traffic will make use of the Zwanenburgbaan Runway at night.

The Schiphol-Oostbaan Runway is unavailable from Monday 18 September to Sunday 1 October because of maintenance works. This has little impact on regular air traffic because we mainly use this runway for small, business and private jets. During the period of works, this type of air traffic will make use of the Buitenveldertbaan Runway or one of the other runways.

From Monday 4 September to Tuesday 12 September the Kaagbaan Runway is undergoing maintenance and is therefore unavailable to air traffic. We therefore expect more planes to land on the Zwanenburgbaan and Aalsmeerbaan runways during this period. For departing planes, the Zwanenburgbaan, Aalsmeerbaan and Buitenveldertbaan runways will be deployed. Air traffic will make use of the Zwanenburgbaan Runway at night.

From 07:00 on Monday 17 July to 07:00 on Wednesday 19 July we'll be working on the taxiway next to the Zwanenburgbaan Runway. As a result, aircraft cannot land on the Zwanenburgbaan Runway from a northerly direction. During this period, and depending on the visibility, wind and weather conditions, we will be deploying the Buitenveldertbaan or Schiphol-Oostbaan runways as secondary runways for landing at peak times.

From Monday 3 July to Tuesday 11 July there are maintenance works on the Buitenveldertbaan Runway. This runway will not be available to air traffic at this time, so the Schiphol-Oostbaan Runway will be deployed for landing when there is a strong (south)westerly wind or when rain showers hinder the approach to the Polderbaan and Zwanenburgbaan runways. During this period, another runway, such as the Schiphol-Oostbaan Runway, Zwanenburgbaan Runway or Aalsmeerbaan Runway, may be deployed in situations where the Buitenveldertbaan would normally be used.

During the period of major maintenance on the Zwanenburgbaan Runway, Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL) replaced the Instrument Landing System (ILS) for aircraft landing on this runway from the south (ILS36C). An ILS helps aircraft to make a gradual approach towards the runway. When visibility is good, aircraft can land using satellite navigation. According to international safety standards, the new ILS must have been working reliably and stably for thirty days before aircraft can land in all visibility conditions. After that, the Zwanenburgbaan will again be available for landings from the south in all visibility conditions. If the Kaagbaan Runway cannot be deployed during this time, the Aalsmeerbaan Runway can be used when there’s wind from the north and limited visibility. The Zwanenburgbaan Runway can be used as normal for take-offs towards the south and north, and for landings from northerly directions.

From Tuesday 30 May to Monday 5 June, between 23:00 and 06:00, surveys are being carried out on the Kaagbaan Runway. These surveys are being carried out as part of maintenance works that will take place at a later date. While these surveys are going on, air traffic will make use of the Zwanenburgbaan and Polderbaan runways where possible.

The Aalsmeerbaan Runway is unavailable from Monday 22 May to Wednesday 31 May because of maintenance works. Aircraft that would usually take off or land on the Aalsmeerbaan will make use of the Kaagbaan, Zwanenburgbaan and Buitenveldertbaan runways.

On 13 May, 15 May and 21 May, Schiphol and Air Traffic Control the Netherlands are doing some test flights on the Zwanenburgbaan (from a southerly direction). We are conducting these flights in order to test the runway's updated Instrument Landing System (ILS). Because the aircraft used for the tests has to fly within the approach areas of the Zwanenburgbaan, Kaagbaan and Aalsmeerbaan runways, these runways will be unavailable for a few hours. This will be on Saturday 13 May from 22:00 to 02:30, Monday 15 May from 22:00 to 22:15 and on Saturday 20 May from 22:00 to 01:40. Air traffic will make use of the other runways like the Polderbaan Runway while the test flights occur. If the test flights cannot take place on the scheduled dates due to circumstances, such as bad weather, the spare dates are 14, 16 and 21 May.

The Zwanenburgbaan Runway is undergoing major maintenance from 2 January to begin-May and is therefore unavailable to air traffic during this period. Air traffic that would usually take off from the Zwanenburgbaan Runway will make use of the Buitenveldertbaan Runway when there's a northerly wind. Air traffic that would usually land on the Zwanenburgbaan Runway will make use of the Buitenveldertbaan or Schiphol-Oostbaan runways when there's a southerly wind or when the wind and visual conditions demand it. A small proportion of flights will use the Kaagbaan Runway. If the Kaagbaan is not available at night at any point during the period of works, an exemption to use the Aalsmeerbaan Runway has been applied for.

During and after the major maintenance, Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL) are replacing the Zwanenburgbaan's Instrument Landing System (ILS). An ILS helps aircraft make a gradual curved approach towards the runway. A number of works on the ILS can only be carried out after the major maintenance is complete. In the six weeks after the completion of the maintenance (forecasted to last until the end of June), the Zwanenburgbaan cannot be deployed for landings from a southerly direction in all visibility conditions. If the Kaagbaan Runway is unavailable, the Aalsmeerbaan Runway can be deployed when there's a northerly wind and limited visibility.

On Monday 1 May, Tuesday 2 May and Wednesday 3 May, Schiphol and LVNL are carrying out test flights on the northerly side of the Zwanenburgbaan Runway between 20:00 and 23:00. These flights allow us to calibrate the runway's landing systems (ILS 18C and PAPI). Because the test aircraft has to fly in the approach zone on the northern side of the Zwanenburgbaan Runway, this may affect runway use.