29
November
2016
|
17:49
Europe/Amsterdam

Schiphol Group wants guarantees for ATC at Lelystad Airport in 2019

LNVL has announced a delay in air traffic service provision works at Lelystad Airport. Schiphol is disappointed by these delays because Lelystad Airport cannot be used without air traffic control infrastructure in place. These developments mean that the first flights will not take place in 2018 as agreed. They will now probably take place in 2019. The airport construction works, commissioned by Schiphol Group, are still due to be completed as planned in early 2018.

Schiphol Group now demands a firm guarantee from the Ministry and LVNL to ensure Lelystad Airport will open no later than April 2019. Furthermore, Schiphol wants guarantees that at least 4,000 aircraft movements per year will be possible from that date forward. This will be vital in order to free up the necessary capacity at Schiphol for mainport related traffic and to provide clarity to interested airlines.

The decision to develop Lelystad Airport was made in 2014, and is part of the broad-based agreement made on the development of aviation in the Netherlands. Lelystad Airport is set to focus on passenger traffic for the leisure and holiday markets. This will free-up Schiphol to be used for flights to destinations that bring the most value to the Dutch economy and society in general. This formed part of the Alders Agreement made in 2008 and is part of the so-called ‘selectivity policy’. Opening Lelystad Airport is therefore of crucial importance for the further development of the mainport.