Schiphol Airport is offering airlines a temporary discount on airport fees in response to the rising costs the industry faces as a result of the Middle East conflict.
The discount of more than 10% is temporary and will run from 27 April to 31 March next year. It only applies to daytime flights as the airport would like to discourage nighttime flying.
“The airport is taking this measure because airlines’ costs have risen unexpectedly and sharply as a result of high kerosene prices,” Schiphol said in a news update.
“Especially in the current geopolitical situation, it is important to keep the Netherlands connected to the rest of the world and to ensure that essential flights can continue to operate.
“A strong aviation sector contributes to the resilience, independence (for example, to ensure the supply of goods and food, and for repatriation) and economy of the Netherlands.”
The airport said that the discount would have a temporary negative effect on Schiphol’s financial results, but it will not impact investments planned for the next 10 years.
Industry group Air Cargo Netherlands (ACN) explained that the discount consists of a 50% reduction on landing and take-off (LTO) charges.
The 50% discount applies only to part of the overall tariffs paid by the airlines – the LTO fees – and when everything is taken into account, the discount amounts to 10%.
European airlines have been cancelling flights as a result of the rising cost of fuel caused by events in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Schiphol hubbed KLM said it would operate 80 fewer flights to and from the Dutch airport over the coming month due to the rising cost of fuel. This represents around 1% of its European flights during the period.
KLM is not the only European airline to cut flying as a result of increased fuel costs.
Lufthansa this week announced it would cut 20,000 European short-haul flights this summer as the increasing cost of jet fuel has made certain operations unprofitable.
Lufthansa Cargo’s fleet of four Airbus A321 freighters has been temporarily grounded as a result of cuts made to sister airline Lufthansa CityLine that had been operating the aircraft.
The German aviation giant announced that it would immediately remove Lufthansa CityLine’s 27 operational aircraft as part of measures aimed at tackling rising fuel costs and labour disruption impacting its German operations.
