After months of relative peace and quiet and around Schiphol, we are starting to see we see air traffic slowly moving again. Travel to 16 European countries has been permitted from 15 June. We expect that air traffic will go from 250-300 flights per day to around 400-500 flights per day in the coming weeks. That is two thirds less than at the same time last year, when we had almost 1,450 flights a day. As a neighbour, that may be more disturbance than what you’ve experienced over the past few ‘quiet months’.
Published on: 18 June 2020
Questions and answers
This announcement will undoubtedly raise many questions. We will do our best to answer them, so that you know what to expect from us in the coming period.
When will you resume use of the Aalsmeerbaan Runway for air traffic?
Aircraft are still being parked on the Aalsmeerbaan Runway at present. We expect the runway to be available again for air traffic in early July. That does not mean that the runway will be put directly into use from then on. There are still relatively few flights and we prefer to use the Polderbaan Runway and the Kaagbaan Runway. We will only use the Aalsmeerbaan Runway at times when there is too much air traffic to handle on one runway or if it is required by wind and weather conditions or by the availability of the other runways. We will let you know on this website and in the resident’s newsletter once we know exactly when the Aalsmeerbaan Runway will be put back into use.
Will the number of flights at Schiphol immediately return to pre-corona levels?
We will not be returning to the number of flights we had in 2019 at once. We expect it to take until around 2023 for the aviation sector to recover. As supply and demand recovers within those years, you will notice many more flights being added to our schedule.
Will Schiphol no longer continue to grow?
Our recovery will be the dominant focus in the coming years. We will not increase the number of flights above 500,000 per year at the moment. At the same time, we want to reduce noise disturbances through the measures that you can read about on minderhinderschiphol.nl (in Dutch only). These measures concern runway use, flight routes and processes during the day and at night and fleet renewal. These measures are independent of the number of flights.
What is being done to limit emissions from air traffic?
Industry, road and air traffic is far less than it once was and there are far fewer flights than usual at Schiphol. As a result, CO2 and ultrafine particles emissions have fallen considerably. We remain committed to maintaining these reductions. Fortunately, the past period has also provided scope for testing initiatives that can reduce emissions at Schiphol itself. For example, we have conducted various tests with the Taxibot to make aircraft taxiing more sustainable. Check out what else we are doing to reduce emissions.
How do I check what runways are currently in use at Schiphol?
You can check online by visiting bezoekbas.nl and clicking on ‘actueel baangebruik’ (current runway use). If you enter your zip code on the homepage, you will immediately see how the runways in use are compared to your place of residence on a map. You can also see the current air traffic on the map. Please note that this site is available in Dutch only.
What measures are being taken by Schiphol due to corona?
Travellers must keep 1.5-metres of distance in Departures and Arrivals and carry a health declaration. We also ask travellers to wear a face mask when checking in, during security and border checks and when boarding their flight. If you plan to travel through Schiphol, you can find useful tips at Schiphol.nl/welcomeback.
If your question not listed here if you would like to know the answer to something else, please visit bezoekbas.nl (in Dutch only).