A Dutch court has blocked a decision by the country's government to limit the number of flights at Amsterdam Schiphol to 460,000 as of November this year, versus its current level of 500,000. The authorities had not followed correct procedure in enacting the decision, a court in Amsterdam decided, scuppering one of Europe's most high-profile government actions to reduce capacity on environmental grounds. The court says that in preliminary relief proceedings it has ruled that "by introducing the temporary arrangement envisaged, the state has not followed the correct procedure", adding: "According to European rules, the state may reduce the number of air transport movements of an airport only after completing a careful process." That process includes the identification of other measures that may reduce noise and extensive consultations, with a reduction in movements only being allowed once other actions have proven ineffective. The legal challenge was bought by KLM, Delta Air Lines, Corendon Airlines, EasyJet and TUI, which argued that they can reduce noise levels and CO2 emissions while maintaining their passenger and cargo networks, having invested billions in the latest aircraft. They also highlighted Schiphol's contribution to the wider Dutch economy. "We would rather co-operate with the other parties than face them in court," says KLM in response to the ruling. "We were unfortunately forced to file these preliminary relief proceedings to get clarity; the capacity for the coming winter will be determined at the beginning of May. With this verdict, we have clarity." KLM has previously warned that plans to limit aircraft movements at Schiphol threatened its ability to act as a viable hub airport and would push operators away from running smaller aircraft at high frequencies. The carrier, which operates around 60% of flights from Schiphol, led the legal proceedings. Representing the wider airline industry, IATA has welcomed the decision, saying it would ensure the choice and connectivity that customers value. "Winning this vital reprieve is good news for Schiphol's passengers, Dutch businesses, the Dutch economy and airlines," writes IATA director general Willie Walsh. "But the job is not done. The threat of flight cuts at Schiphol remains very real and is still the stated policy of the government." Although the ruling represents a victory for airlines, the Dutch government is currently consulting on a move to restrict flights to 440,000 on a permanent basis from 2024 onwards. IATA warns that Dutch state "is again at risk" of not following the legally enshrined approach to cut flight activity, hinting that the courts could again become involved in capacity levels at the airport. "Any flight cuts can only be a last resort to achieve this noise objective, not the starting point," adds Walsh. "We believe that the ruling today gives a strong indication that the State must follow the proper process and analyse all options." IATA had said it would bring its own legal action against the cap on movements at Schiphol, arguing that that no meaningful consultation had been undertaken with industry and that flight reductions were being imposed as a first resort rather than a last one. On 4 April, Schiphol separately said it planned to ban on private jets and further restrict take-off and landing times in order to bring about a "quieter, cleaner and better aviation". It also intends to abandon its Kaagbaan second runway and prohibit the noisiest aircraft.

Amsterdam Schiphol plans to enact a blanket ban on private jets and further restrict take-offs and landings in order to bring about a "quieter, cleaner and better aviation". Under new rules at the airport, no aircraft will take off between midnight and 06:00 or land between midnight and 05:00, barring emergency or medical services. Schiphol is also abandoning its Kaagbaan second runway and banning the noisiest aircraft. Pressure on Schiphol to improve its environmental performance has increased in recent years, with the Dutch government announcing deep cuts to the number of flights operating from the airport as part of a "new equilibrium". Several airlines have since declared their intention to sue over the plans, arguing that they can cut noise and carbon without slashing the number of services. Schiphol says its latest actions will result in 10,000 fewer night flights per year and phase out the noisiest aircraft over time. The ban on private jets and "small business aviation" will likewise take out activity that causes a "disproportionate amount of noise nuisance and CO2 emissions per passenger", it adds. Some 30-50% of these flights are to leisure destinations such as Ibiza, Cannes and Innsbruck, where there is plenty of alternative connectivity, notes the airport. Enacting these measures by 2025-26 will reduce the number of people around Schiphol experiencing severe nuisance by 16% and cut sleep disturbance by 54%, it calculates. "Schiphol connects the Netherlands with the rest of the world," states Ruud Sondag, chief executive of Royal Schiphol Group. "We want to keep doing that, but we must do it better. The only way forward is to become quieter and cleaner more rapidly. "We have thought about growth but too little about its impact for too long. We need to be sustainable for our employees, the local environment and the world. I realise that our choices may have significant implications for the aviation industry, but they are necessary."

SAS has launched two new biofuel SAF tickets to make it easier for travellers to fly more sustainably. Called Go Smart and Plus Pro, the tickets will be available on all SAS domestic, Scandinavian and European flights, the airline says. it adds that the two ticket types include the cost of approximately 50% biofuel SAF, which is calculated on an average journey, corresponding to approximately 60 minutes on Swedish or Norwegian domestic, 60 minutes within Scandinavia, 35 minutes on Danish domestic or 90 minutes on European flights. The amount of biofuel SAF purchased will be used to replace the equivalent amount of fossil fuel in SAS's operations. The airline says the purchase of biofuel SAF will take place within 12 months and it will make no profit from the purchase. "Our journey toward a more sustainable aviation continues and by increasing the use of biofuel we are bridging the gap to zero-emission flights," says SAS's head of sustainability Ann-Sofie Horlin. "We know it is important for our customers, both leisure and corporate, to actively take part in these efforts and SAS Bio will fill this demand."