Flower flights from Africa and South America have increasingly been diverting to airports outside the Netherlands in recent years. By the end of 2023, the number of flights at the national airport Schiphol will shrink. The air cargo sector expects to be hit disproportionately hard as a result. It therefore pleads once again for the creation of a cargo pool. If this cannot be achieved in consultation, it will take the matter to court if necessary. Time is pressing.
Air cargo at Schiphol accounts for about 4% of the 500,000 flight movements annually allowed at Schiphol under the Airport Decree. This comes down to 20,000 flights. In June, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Mark Harbers indicated that the number of flights per year would be reduced to 440,000 from the end of 2023, constituting a 12% contraction. The air cargo industry fears that the contraction in cargo flights will be much higher though. At Nieuwsblad Transport’s air cargo conference, Maarten van As of industry association Air Cargo Netherlands (ACN) expressed fears it might reach 30 to 35%. (..)
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