Today, during an emergency case, a resident of Eelde asked the Council of State not to give Groningen Airport Eelde permission to extend flight times. With the new Airport Decree of the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, flights to Eelde will soon be allowed between six and half past six in the morning and eleven in the evening and midnight.
According to Groningen airport, the flight time extension is desperately needed to better compete with other Dutch and European airports. The airport wants to start late evening and night flights this year, it became apparent today during a lawsuit in The Hague. In the evening from 11 p.m., this involves approximately 300 flight movements (landing and take-off) per year. The morning flights may follow from next year.
The local resident sees absolutely nothing in the extension of flight times. He fears for the health of his family with two children. “My eldest is in the middle of his senior year and goes to bed at half past nine. I go to bed at half past ten. If many more of those large commercial planes start flying, we will no longer be able to sleep and that will be at the expense of our health. Apparently the commercial interests of the airport and airlines are more important than the health of local residents.”
Groningen Airport spokespersons acknowledged during the lawsuit that night flights are of great importance to the airport. “With more night flights we become more attractive to airlines. Eelde is in the North and most destinations are in Southern Europe. That usually means flying half an hour longer than from Eindhoven and Rotterdam. For example, airlines can now only go back and forth to Barcelona twice, with night flights this can be done three times. And an airplane that is on the ground costs money and an airplane that flies makes money.”
According to a ministry spokesperson, the nuisance will not increase as much as feared. This only involves a few extra night flights per week. And the minister also sees little chance that Eelde will schedule many more night flights. “Because night flights require much more noise space than daytime flights. And then Eelde can operate far fewer flights during the day.” The spokespersons of Groningen Airport Eelde confirmed this. The highest administrative court will decide within two weeks whether Eelde can quickly start extra flights between eleven and midnight.