By Toby Sterling and Bart H. Meijer
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -Facing pressure from the U.S. government and the European Union, the Dutch government on Tuesday gave up on a plan to cap the maximum number of flights at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport next summer, calling the decision “a bitter pill”.
The decision is a victory for Air France-KLM’s Dutch subsidiary and U.S. airline JetBlue, who had opposed the decision, and a loss for environmentalist and resident groups living near Schiphol who had supported the cap.
“I emphasize that the cabinet is still committed to restoring the balance between Schiphol and its environment,” minister Mark Harbers said in a letter to parliament.
The plan to cap the number of flights at Schiphol, one of Europe’s busiest hubs, at 10% below 2019 levels had been primarily driven by the desire to cut noise pollution, but it had also been cheered by environmentalists as needed to reduce carbon dioxide and nitrogen emissions.
Opposition swelled this month after the Dutch slot coordinator announced cuts for airlines including KLM and JetBlue, which began flying from Schiphol to New York and Boston this year.
That led the U.S. government on Nov. 3 to threaten retaliation if the Dutch went ahead with the plan.
Harbers’ letter to parliament noted that European Union Transport Commissioner Adina Valean on Nov. 13 had sent the Dutch government a letter expressing “serious concerns” that the pros and cons of the cap had not been properly weighed.
The Dutch government said it will continue to examine other policy measures to cap the flights eventually. A national election is being held on Nov. 22.
KLM said in a reaction that it was “satisfied” with the decision and it has agreed to compromise moves such as flying quieter planes and less often at night.
A spokesperson for Greenpeace said the group is preparing a reaction.
(Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Jan Harvey, Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Jonathan Oatis)
