The new year for airport operator Schiphol is full of uncertainties. And that is not only the fault of the corona crisis that affects the aviation sector as a whole. There are also issues such as the issue of the environmental permit, whether or not to open Lelystad Airport and the further sustainability drive that Schiphol stands for. The airport will hold its New Year's Eve gathering later on Monday, looking ahead to 2022.

For the time being, the airport has assumed moderate growth for this year. Currently, a maximum of 500.000 flight movements are allowed per year. To limit the nuisance for local residents, growth should go hand in hand with quieter and cleaner flying. However, according to various reports, the airport operator is already not complying with the applicable nitrogen rules. The airport is also awaiting an environmental permit.

The coalition agreement of VVD, D66, CDA and CU states that there are "various challenges" in the field of nitrogen, particulate matter, noise pollution and the quality of the living environment. But the parties also want the Netherlands to remain attractive for large companies, partly due to Schiphol's strong position.

Whether or not to open Lelystad Airport for holiday flights is also on the board of the new cabinet that will be on the platform on Monday. In the previous coalition agreement it was agreed that Lelystad will take over holiday flights from Schiphol, which will thus have more room to develop as an international hub. The opening of Lelystad had already been postponed to November last year due to the corona crisis and was further delayed, partly due to the slow progress of the formation.

The construction of the new A-pier is also causing headaches. After intensive consultation, it was decided to break with builders Ballast Nedam and TAV. The construction of the pier, which should have been completed in 2019, involved higher costs and also took longer than planned. Schiphol is currently looking for a new contractor to complete the new pier.

There is also the issue of health risks that employees run at Schiphol as a result of working daily in the exhaust fumes of aircraft and diesel vehicles. The FNV union previously announced that it would hold employers liable for health damage suffered.

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