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News  ·  3 November New Airport Traffic Decree enters into force

After 18 years, the new Airport Traffic Decree (Luchthavenverkeerbesluit, LVB) for Schiphol came into force on Sunday 1 November 2026. This marks an important milestone for both our airport and for airlines and local residents. The new LVB provides long-awaited legal clarity on issues such as noise, safety, emissions, runway usage and the number of flights.

The new LVB sets out agreements on how many flights Schiphol may operate. The airport is now permitted a maximum of 478,000 flight movements per year, including a maximum of 27,000 night flights. To maintain a healthy balance with local communities, this is fewer than before the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, Schiphol handled around 500,000 flights annually, of which around 32,000 took place at night.

Clear rules

The LVB also contains clear rules on noise and the protection of local residents, covering a larger area than before. The enforcement points around the airport, the so-called noise limits, allow for annual variations in factors such as weather conditions and runway usage. This flexibility cannot be used to accommodate additional flights. The maximum remains 478,000 flight movements, and all other LVB regulations continue to apply. 

The LVB also establishes clear and legally robust agreements on how Schiphol operates and how compliance is monitored. After years of uncertainty, this provides clarity once again and creates a legal framework on which we can build.

Reducing noise nuisance

Since 2022, Schiphol, local communities, the aviation sector and government authorities have worked together on this integrated LVB. It also incorporates targets to reduce noise nuisance, including a 20% reduction during the day and a 15% reduction at night. The Balanced Approach procedure, which was initiated by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in 2024, has now been legally embedded in the LVB. 

This Balanced Approach consists of a combination of measures designed to reduce aircraft noise. For example, the share of quieter aircraft is increasing, while airlines operating noisier aircraft to and from Schiphol pay higher charges under our differentiated airport charges structure. This approach is proving successful. More than 40% of aircraft operating at Schiphol now belong to the newest and quietest generations. In this way, we are working towards an airport that is in better balance with its surroundings.