Earlier this week, federal regulators urged airlines to reduce their schedules by up to 10% in some markets, in an attempt to prevent overcrowding and further flight delays this summer, as there’s still not enough pilots and air traffic controllers to go around.
So far, JetBlue (JBLU) has announced it will cut back on flights out of New York this summer, while Delta (DAL) and United Airlines (UAL) have indicated they are considering similar actions.
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Now, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport is reducing the amount of international flights it will offer, but for a very different reason, according to Travel Awaits.
Air Travel Is Being Cut Again...But Not Due to Traffic
Schiphol will reduce international flights from 500,000 to 460,000 by November 2023, and will further reduce 20,000 flights by November 2024, all in an effort to reduce its carbon emissions.
Many countries throughout Europe have made moves to limit or even ban some regional or short-haul flights to reduce carbon emissions, as aviation is estimated to contribute about 3% of the world’s planet-warming pollution, but the Dutch government’s reduction is the first action that will impact international flights.
Delta, Corendon, easyJet, Tui and KLM, the Netherlands’ flagship airline have announced plans to sue over the measure.
“We strongly object to capacity reductions at Schiphol Airport and remain actively focused on investing in our fleet renewal and modernization program as the most effective way forward to mitigate noise and environmental concerns,” Peter Carter, executive vice president of Delta, told Financial Times.
The move will reduce the number of flights at Schiphol by 8 percent this year, and another 4 percent next year, and Dutch officials are standing firm against criticism.
“The policy will help the country meet its carbon goal,” the Dutch Transport Ministry said in a statement. “Further details remain to be decided, and the government promises that discussions will include all parties.”
