Runway 18C-36C closes due to major maintenance for six weeks

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol will be closing runway 18C-36C for scheduled maintenance between Sunday morning 10 March and Sunday evening 21 April. During this maintenance work, runway 18C-36C will be closed to air traffic and aircraft will need to take other flight routes to and from Schiphol. To ensure that this period does not last any longer than strictly necessary, Schiphol will be carrying out various maintenance works on the runway, taxiways, markings and lighting simultaneously.

Modified runway allocation during maintenance work

While runway 18C-36C is closed for the maintenance work, air traffic will use runway 09-27 flight routes more frequently, depending on weather conditions. In very exceptional cases, aircraft may need to use runway 18L-36R during night-time hours. Schiphol has agreed with the municipality of Aalsmeer and residents’ associations that aircraft will only be allocated to runway 18L-36R if runway 06-24 cannot be used owing to weather conditions. Such a situation is not expected to occur more than once or twice. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has granted an exemption for the change in runway use.

Following the end of the major maintenance work on runway 18C-36C, sweeping work is scheduled to take place on 10 nights in the period from 21 April through to 9 May. The effect of these activities is expected to be minimal on runway use given that runway 18C-36C is not used frequently at night.

Scope of the work

As part of the maintenance performed on runway 18C-36C, Schiphol will be renewing asphalt, markings, lighting and cabling. Runway lighting is to be replaced by sustainable LED lighting wherever possible. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol will be carrying out these activities in collaboration with Heijmans. Around 200 employees working in different crews 24 hours a day will ensure that runway 18C-36C is not closed any longer than is strictly necessary.

Residents with questions

The scheduled maintenance for 2019 was announced on the website of Local Community Contact Centre Schiphol (Bas) early this year. Residents who are affected by the changed runway use and temporary use of alternative flight routes during the maintenance work will receive a letter from Schiphol.

Residents who want more information or have questions regarding air traffic during the work can contact Local Community Contact Centre Schiphol (Bas), which is the local centre for information and complaints about air traffic to, from and at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. You can contact Bas by calling +31 (0)20 - 6015555 or consulting the website. Bas will also be sending an email with information on the work to all residents who have previously indicated an interest in being kept informed. Please note that the schedule can change as a result of weather conditions or operational disruptions.