UPDATE 1-Dutch airport Schiphol capped at 478,000 flights per year to reduce noise

The government had said in September it would likely lower the cap as it aimed to reduce disturbance for people living close to the airport by 20%. Dutch airline KLM on Thursday urged the government to rethink its strategy, saying it should promote quieter planes rather than cutting flights.

Amsterdam Schiphol airport's total flight capacity will be lowered by 4% next year in an effort to cut noise pollution, the Dutch government said on Friday.

Traffic at Schiphol, one of Europe's busiest hubs, will be limited to 478,000 flights per year from 2025, down from the current cap of 500,000 flights per year. The government had said in September it would likely lower the cap as it aimed to reduce disturbance for people living close to the airport by 20%.

Dutch airline KLM on Thursday urged the government to rethink its strategy, saying it should promote quieter planes rather than cutting flights. The government said the new flight cap was expected to reduce noise by 15%, while it would look for ways to reduce an additional 5% at a later stage.

An effort to limit flights to around 450,000 was taken off the table last year following pressure from the industry and after objections from the European Union, which said the government should first look at other options to cut noise. A Dutch court in March ordered the government to do more to cut noise pollution at Schiphol, saying the interests of people disturbed by the airport had been ignored for years.

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