Coalition parties NSC and BBB maintain that <a href="https://www.archyde.com/the-house-of-representatives-definitely-wants-no-commercial-air-traffic-at-lelystad-airport-economy/" title="The House of Representatives definitely wants no commercial air traffic at Lelystad Airport | Economy”>Lelystad Airport should definitely not be put into use for commercial air traffic. This is what NSC Member of Parliament Olger van Dijk and BBB Member of Parliament Cor Pierik said tonight in the House of Representatives.
In January, NSC and BBB helped a proposal from the Party for the Animals to gain a majority. The proposal then received support from other left-wing parties, but also from NSC, CDA and BBB. That was before the new cabinet of PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB had taken office.
Respect the House’s decision
The new cabinet did not make a decision about the opening of Lelystad Airport. The government program does state that a final decision will be taken in 2025. Coalition parties PVV and VVD are in favor of opening the airport.
But the two other coalition parties, NSC and BBB, maintain their position, as became apparent during a debate in the House of Representatives tonight. NSC MP Olger van Dijk says in response to questions from the PvdD that he assumes that the cabinet will respect the House of Representatives’ decision not to open the airport to commercial air traffic.
BBB MP Cor Pierik also said tonight that he has not changed his mind in the meantime.
Lelystad Airport was designated years ago as a backup for Schiphol. Holiday flights would eventually have to divert to the airport in the Flevopolder, which underwent a major and expensive renovation.
Decreased support
This intervention was intended to give Schiphol the opportunity to concentrate on its role as an international aviation hub. Since then, however, social and political support for growth in the aviation sector has declined considerably. There has not been a majority in favor of opening Lelystad Airport for some time, but a final decision was still pending.
After the fall of the cabinet in July last year, Lelystad Airport again ended up on the list of topics that the House wanted to ‘park’ until after the new cabinet took office. Nevertheless, a motion on this matter was put to the vote and adopted at the end of January.
Analysis: Lelystad Airport’s Uncertain Future
In a recent development that has sent shockwaves through the aviation industry, coalition parties NSC and BBB have reaffirmed their stance against Lelystad Airport being used for commercial air traffic. This comes as a significant blow to the airport’s plans, which had been poised for expansion and growth.
According to the airport’s website, Lelystad Airport is currently the busiest general aviation airport in the Netherlands, with around 80,000 annual air transport movements [1]. The airport had been taking steps to become more sustainable, including the installation of CEDD AGL technology by THK Airport Solutions in 2018, in preparation for its potential expansion to commercial traffic [2].
However, the recent decision by the coalition parties has cast doubts on the airport’s future plans. The vote against opening Lelystad Airport to commercial traffic has been met with disappointment from some quarters, with only the far-right PVV and the VVD opposing the motion [3].
As a frequent commentator on aviation news, I believe that this decision will have far-reaching implications for Lelystad Airport’s growth and development. The airport had been positioning itself as a major player in the region’s aviation sector, and this setback will undoubtedly hinder its progress.
It remains to be seen how Lelystad Airport will respond to this decision and what alternative plans it will put in place to ensure its continued growth and sustainability. One thing is certain, however: the airport’s future is now more uncertain than ever.
the recent vote against Lelystad Airport’s expansion to commercial traffic has dealt a significant blow to the airport’s plans. While the airport’s commitment to sustainability and its current operations as a general aviation airport are commendable, its future as a major player in the region’s aviation sector remains uncertain.
