“Local residents in large parts of the city will unexpectedly experience much more aircraft noise than anticipated next summer,” reads an angry letter from Councillor Hester Van Buren (Airport) to Mark Harpers, Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management. She is not at all happy with the consequences of Harpers’s agreement to allow more air traffic.

Harpers agreed to allow much greater air traffic from 17 June to 1 September. It is estimated that there will be 10,000 additional flight movements on the Buitenveldert runway and about 1,000 additional movements on the Schiphol Oost runway. The landing system that guides planes safely to Schiphol will be replaced, hence this temporary measure.

lack of empathy

“The council is disappointed with this decision,” Van Buren wrote. “The city, the region and its residents are faced with a fait accompli.” According to the council member, the consequences of this decision will be borne by local residents, especially “those who cannot afford to go on holiday” and are therefore exposed to noise.

What bothers the council member most is the announcement placed by air traffic control
Netherlands (LVNL) in Het Parol. According to Van Buren, this statement would show a “lack of empathy toward the local population.” “An apology to residents would be appropriate.”

Instead of additional air traffic, the mayor and councillors would prefer to see a “reduction in the number of flights”. In addition to the apology, Van Buuren is asking the minister to sit down with LVNL and Schiphol as soon as possible to reduce the additional aircraft noise for local residents.