Europe's preferred airport

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is keen to be and remain Europe´s preferred airport. One key condition of achieving this is for the airport to operate as sustainably as possible and to encourage its users to improve their own operations too. 

The Schiphol Mainport is a crucial socio-economic factor in the Netherlands, owing to its worldwide network of destinations. The network forms the basis for creating sustainable value for all stakeholders. The quality of the Mainport is determined by the network of destinations, the flight frequencies with which those destinations are served and the competitiveness of the airport and the region. Crucial to the network of destinations is the European and intercontinental destination network of Air France-KLM and partners.

Schiphol facilitates this network of European and intercontinental destinations and focuses on those destinations that deliver added value for the Mainport and the Dutch economy at large. As such, the airport acts as a link between, on the one hand, a strong intercontinental network of connections with the world's major economic centres and emerging markets and, on the other, a finely meshed intra-European network. This European network is important for O&D traffic and it feeds Air France-KLM´s extensive transfer network.

Thanks to this network, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol plays an important role in attracting national and international companies that benefit from fast intercontinental and European connections and an attractive business climate. As a result, the airport generates some 170,000 jobs.

Following consultations with local residents, aviation sector parties, regional authorities and the national government as  part of the 2008 Alders Platform, agreements were reached on the airport´s development up to 2020. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is permitted to grow to handle 580,000 air transport movements by 2020, of which 70,000 are to be transferred to the regional Lelystad Airport and Eindhoven Airport.

Our key goals are:

• Reduce carbon emissions in our own operations and those of third parties through practical steps, consultation and innovation around energy and mobility.   
• Maintain our role in generating jobs for the Dutch economy.
• Maintain local quality of life standards.
• Promote sustainable stakeholder relationships.

Associated goals:

• To be carbon neutral in our own operations at the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol site by 2012 (control).
• Achieve a 30% cut in carbon emissions at Schiphol by 2020 compared to 1990.
• Ensure sustainable onsite generation of 20% of energy needs at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol by 2020.
• Maintain and generate more employment opportunities (Schiphol College).
• Optimise use of environmental capacity while preserving the quality of the residential environment.