Operating forecast for 2027: Schiphol set to become quieter
The trend towards less aircraft noise around Schiphol is set to continue in 2027. This is evident from the operating forecast for the coming year, which outlines expected runway maintenance and the anticipated impact of air traffic on the surrounding area. The biggest improvement will come from quieter aircraft, which Schiphol encourages through differentiated airport charges. Next year, Schiphol expects approximately 45% of flights to be operated using aircraft from the quietest noise categories.
CEO Pieter van Oord: 'As an international hub, Schiphol is of great value to the Netherlands. Together with the aviation sector, we are working towards an airport that is ready for the future and better balanced with its surroundings. The forecast for 2027 shows that we are taking important steps forward. Our efforts to encourage quieter aircraft are delivering results, and the trend towards less aircraft noise around Schiphol is continuing. We are doing what we promised; Schiphol really is becoming quieter.'
Number of severely affected residents has halved since 2000
With this operating forecast, we provide an overview of what our neighbours can expect in terms of air traffic, runway use, maintenance activities and anticipated noise disturbance in the coming year. The forecast for 2027 shows that overall noise exposure will decrease, driven by the continued introduction of quieter aircraft. Schiphol is expected to be quieter in 2027 than in previous years. As a result, the number of people expected to be severely affected by aircraft noise is projected to fall to around 150,000. This represents a 50% reduction compared with the year 2000, when the number was approximately 300,000.
The expected reduction in noise exposure is consistent with the noise measurements recorded by NOMOS. These objective measurements, collected by around 40 monitoring stations located on rooftops in the Schiphol area, show that newer aircraft types generate less noise than older models. Despite these forecasts and measurements, local residents may still experience noise nuisance. That is why we remain committed to further reducing aircraft noise and its impact on the surrounding communities.
Outlook for runway maintenance in 2027
The forecast also looks ahead to planned maintenance work and its impact on the surrounding area. Each year, Schiphol carries out essential maintenance on its runways to ensure they remain in good condition and support safe air traffic operations. For every project, we carefully balance the execution of the work with its impact on local residents and air traffic.
During maintenance periods, air traffic will use alternative runways. In addition to the regular maintenance programme, the Schiphol-Oostbaan Runway will undergo a major refurbishment from 20 March to 8 August 2027. This will be the most extensive maintenance project ever carried out on the Schiphol-Oostbaan. Some of its components are more than 70 years old and date back to the 1950s. The area surrounding the runway will also be extensively upgraded, including work on a taxiway and a drainage ditch. The Schiphol-Oostbaan is Schiphol’s least frequently used runway and is primarily used by smaller aircraft. As a result, the impact on the surrounding area is expected to remain limited.
Chief Infrastructure Officer Bart Smolders: ‘Schiphol is making significant progress in catching up on essential maintenance. As well as work on the runways, we are also working on the surrounding infrastructure. In practice, this has meant that we cannot completely rule out the summer period for carrying out major runway maintenance. We believe it is important to be open about this, so as not to raise expectations that we cannot always fulfil. We realise that our neighbours may experience disruption during the maintenance work. That is why we are doing everything we can to keep the period required for this essential maintenance as short as possible.’
About the operating forecast
The operating forecast provides an overview of the expected runway usage for the coming year. It gives Schiphol’s neighbours insight into the anticipated number of flight movements, runway usage, maintenance activities and expected noise impact around the airport. The way Schiphol’s runways are deployed directly affects the surrounding area. Each year, Schiphol publishes a forecast for the upcoming operating year. This forecast applies to the operating year that will run from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027, reflecting the winter and summer aviation seasons. It is based on the latest scientific insights provided by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), as well as the new Airport Traffic Decree (Luchthavenverkeersbesluit), which entered into force on 1 November 2026.