At Schiphol, the Polderbaan is not available due to the summit. There are also restrictions at sea during the summit.
For unmanned aerial vehicles, especially in the vicinity of The Hague, Valkenburg, and Noordwijk, there are several additional restrictions. These will take effect from June 18. It is advised to consult flight maps from sources such as GoDrone or Aeret before conducting a flight. The police will strictly enforce drone activities in these areas. More information on the specific details of the restrictions for drones will follow later.
Organizing the NATO summit is the largest logistical operation ever in the Netherlands. All involved governments and agencies, including the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, are making every effort to find a good balance between the safety of the summit and the functioning of society.
In general, it is advised to limit or postpone non-essential movements in the airspace as much as possible to create a clear air picture for the authorities.
Consequences of NATO summit for aviation
The broader restriction within a radius of 93 kilometers means that there will be no small air traffic at Schiphol or Rotterdam The Hague Airport, as well as at Lelystad Airport and several smaller airports. Within the restricted areas, exceptions apply. Among others, police flights, trauma helicopters, organ transports, and rescue flights at sea remain allowed under certain conditions.
Ministerial regulation
The NATO summit takes place on Tuesday, June 24, and Wednesday, June 25. Most restrictions in the airspace will take effect on Monday, June 23, at 15:00, and will last until Wednesday, June 25, at 23:59. The airspace measures are being developed at the request of the NCTV and will be recorded in a ministerial regulation.
10% fewer scheduled flights at Schiphol
For the NATO summit, dozens of heads of state and ministers are coming to the Netherlands. The government aircraft they arrive on will be parked and secured at the Polderbaan, one of the runways at Schiphol. This runway will therefore not be available for regular passenger flights during this period.
Schiphol is also conducting major maintenance on another runway, the Buitenveldertbaan, from May to September. Since these two runways will not be available during the NATO summit, there is less capacity available for airlines at Schiphol. The combination of closed runways and restrictions in the airspace leads to approximately 10% fewer scheduled flights.
Restrictions at sea
Between Hoek van Holland and Noordwijk, there are also restrictions at sea, in a zone up to over 22 kilometers from the coast. Between June 19 at 23:59 and June 23 at 15:00, the area remains accessible for specific groups, such as fishermen and tour boats, provided they have permission from the harbor master of Scheveningen. The sea area will be completely closed to shipping traffic between June 23 at 15:00 and June 25 at 23:59.
The harbor of Scheveningen remains accessible, via a corridor, throughout the entire period for shipping traffic that has permission from the harbor master. The international shipping routes in the approach area of the Port of Rotterdam will not be hindered by these measures.
The regulations regarding the restrictions in the airspace and at sea will be published soon in the Staatscourant.