Rotterdam The Hague Airport to cut noise pollution with new flight restrictions
Residents near Rotterdam The Hague Airport will experience less noise as new rules limit night flights, reduce early morning and evening traffic, and cap annual flights. The changes aim to balance economic benefits with quality of life, starting in 2026.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Annual flight limit | 17,860 (same as 2019 levels) |
| Night flight ban | 11:00 PM – 7:00 AM (exceptions: emergencies, 20 private flights/year) |
| Morning restrictions | No landings 7:00–9:00 AM; max 10 departures |
| Evening restrictions | Max 10 landings 9:00–11:00 PM |
| Delayed flight deadline | Reduced from 1:00 AM to midnight by 2030 |
| Noise monitoring expansion | Additional points to protect distant residents |
| Sustainable growth | Allowed from 2030 if noise limits met and aircraft use clean fuels |
| Public consultation period | 6 weeks (open until April 2026) |
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management oversees aviation policy, including noise regulations and airport decrees. Rotterdam The Hague Airport’s operations are governed by these rules to ensure a balance between economic activity and environmental impact on local communities.
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Read the full translated article below
Rotterdam The Hague Airport remains a strong airport, but with less nuisance
Rotterdam The Hague Airport will take measures in the coming years to reduce the nuisance around the airport. The airport will be almost completely closed at night, and there will be fewer flights in the morning and evening.
Growth may resume from 2030 onwards, provided it fits within the noise limits and involves aircraft that fly electrically, on hydrogen, or on sustainable fuel.
This has been recorded in the draft of the new Airport Decree (LHB) for Rotterdam The Hague Airport, which was sent to the House of Representatives this week. Over the next six weeks, anyone can share their opinion on the new LHB. The aim is to finalize the new rules by April next year.
Number of flights, noise and air quality monitoring points
A maximum of 17,860 flights may be operated per year. This is roughly the same number as in 2019. At night, between 11:00 PM and 7:00 AM, flights will in principle not be allowed, with exceptions made for emergency flights such as the trauma helicopter, emergency landings, and a maximum of 20 private flights per year.
Additional noise monitoring points will ensure that people living further from the airport are also better protected.
To improve air quality at and around the airport, aircraft will be required to taxi on one engine. The use of the polluting auxiliary power unit (APU) of an aircraft will be prohibited when ground power is available to provide the aircraft with electricity and air conditioning.
Fewer flights in the morning and evening
Steps are also being taken to reduce nuisance at the edges of the day. Between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM, no aircraft may land, and a maximum of 10 departures are allowed. Between 9:00 PM and 11:00 PM, a maximum of 10 aircraft may land per day. In addition, noisier aircraft will gradually be excluded from early morning flights.
Aircraft with delays are currently still allowed to land at Rotterdam The Hague Airport until 1:00 AM. In the future, this will be limited to midnight at the latest, with a maximum number that will be gradually reduced to 180 by 2030.
Nuisance for local residents can also arise when aircraft deviate from their standard routes. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW), Dutch Air Traffic Control (LVNL), and the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) are jointly investigating how these deviations can be addressed.
“Rotterdam The Hague Airport is of great importance, not only for the regional economy but for the whole of the Netherlands. With this new Airport Decree, we are safeguarding that importance while also taking important steps for the living environment,” says Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Vincent Karremans. “As a former alderman in Rotterdam, I am well aware of the stories and concerns of local residents around the airport. While I realize that when making an airport decree, we cannot meet everyone’s wishes or interests, I believe it is important that with this decree we seriously address nuisance reduction while also providing space and clarity for aviation.”