For the VVD, pulling the wallet for the airport is not a huge deal issue. “We think the airport is important,” emphasized party chairman Willemien Meeuwissen in the Radio Drenthe program cassata. “Many more people in the Northern Netherlands think that, because research shows that 80 percent are in favor of keeping it open.”
There is also great support among local residents, she said. “Moreover, as a province, we spend 70 million euros annually on mobility, can we also add a piece for Eelde?”
BBB leader Gert-Jan Schuinder did not yet speak wholeheartedly at the discussion table Yes. Yet the party is anything but unwilling to a financial contribution to keep the airport going. As far as he is concerned, things could be a bit more ambitious and sharper in terms of sustainability. “That we simply say: in ten years’ time we will only fly electrically from Eelde, or on hydrogen.”
The Social Democrats have not yet made firm commitments either. PvdA Member of Parliament Hendrikus Loof would first like to have a round table with director De Groot before he pulls out his wallet on behalf of his party.
“The question now is: does the airport have sufficient social and economic value? Then it could be a logical conclusion that we take responsibility, also in a financial sense,” Loof seems willing. “When we look back we don’t always get happy, but what is here now can be a good basis for further embroidery.”
However, his party still has a number of questions. Setting up new flights to London and southern Denmark, which would be advocated, remind him of previous attempts that have already failed. “London has already disappeared, just like Copenhagen and Munich. Does this make us warm together?”, he wonders.
Another ambition of Eelde is to grow towards the transport of 350,000 passengers on an annual basis and to extend the opening hours. Loos also comments on this. “You have to explicitly look at what the environment thinks of it.” If the ministry agrees, the extended opening hours would take effect from 1 January 2025.