The aviation authority of the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT Aviation Authority) found no exceedances of noise limits at the regional airports Lelystad Airport, Maastricht Aachen Airport, and Rotterdam The Hague Airport in 2024. This is stated in the enforcement reports published by the aviation authority today.
All Dutch regional airports and their users are subject to noise limits and rules for airport use. The ILT Aviation Authority checks whether the airports and airlines comply with these and can impose sanctions if necessary. At the end of each usage year (period November 1 to October 31), the ILT Aviation Authority prepares an enforcement report per airport with the results of its supervision.
Lelystad Airport
In 2024, compared to usage year 2023, the noise load at enforcement point 23 increased slightly, and the noise load at enforcement point 05 decreased. Respectively, it concerns 25.0% (was 23.3% in 2023) and 8.6% (was 12.8% in 2023) of the annually allocated noise space. Based on these outcomes, the ILT Aviation Authority determines that the noise standards at Lelystad Airport in usage year 2024 were not exceeded. There was 1 night flight, involving a trauma helicopter. Also, in 2024, Lelystad Airport complied with the night rules.
Maastricht Aachen Airport
The limits for the noise load at the enforcement points at Maastricht Aachen Airport were not exceeded. In 2024, the number of passenger flights remained almost equal to usage year 2023. The number of cargo flights decreased by 7.8%.
At the airport, there were a total of 7 aircraft movements after 11:00 PM. Further investigation showed that for 2 Corendon flights, the reason was not legitimate. The ILT Aviation Authority issued a written warning and will discuss this with Corendon.
In 2024, the aviation authority investigated 14 flights that deviated from the departure routes. 9 flights deviated only marginally from the departure route; the deviations were within the accuracy limits of the radar data. For 5 flights, the deviation was significant. As a result, the 5 relevant airlines received a written warning.
Rotterdam The Hague Airport
The noise standards were not exceeded at Rotterdam The Hague Airport. In usage year 2024, 1,262 night flights were performed at the airport. That is 11 more night flights than in 2023. For 716 flights (53%) of the 1,262 night flights, it involved emergency services. Of the 1,262 night flights, the ILT Aviation Authority further investigated 16 flights. For 1 landing between 00:00 and 01:00, Corendon received a warning letter due to a violation of the rules. Incidental use by military aircraft is allowed at the airport. In 2024, 126 military flights took place, 5 of which were at night.
For Rotterdam The Hague Airport, there are additional rules for the use of departure routes, so that as little as possible is flown over inhabited areas. The ILT Aviation Authority investigated 163 deviations from departure routes. In 1 case, an aircraft deviated from the departure route without instruction given by Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL). Pegasus Airlines received a warning letter for this. In the other investigated cases, the route deviations were after instructions from air traffic control for safe flight execution.
State of Aviation
The main results of the supervision by the ILT Aviation Authority at Schiphol and the four regional airports will also be included in the State of Aviation. This will be presented to the House of Representatives by the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management in the first half of this year.