Amsterdam Schiphol Airport expects aircraft noise to decline during its 2027 operating year as airlines introduce quieter aircraft, with around 45% of flights forecast to use its quietest noise categories.
The airport’s latest operating forecast also outlines runway maintenance, including a major refurbishment of the Schiphol-Oostbaan runway between 20 March and 8 August 2027.
The forecast covers the period from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027, spanning the winter and summer aviation seasons.
Quieter aircraft expected to reduce noise exposure
Schiphol says differentiated airport charges, which encourage airlines to deploy quieter aircraft, are helping reduce noise around the airport.
Its modelling projects that approximately 150,000 people will be severely affected by aircraft noise during the operating year. That would be around half the estimated 300,000 recorded for 2000.
The figures are projections rather than confirmed outcomes. Schiphol also acknowledges that residents may continue to experience disturbance despite the expected overall reduction.
“Our efforts to encourage quieter aircraft are delivering results, and the trend towards less aircraft noise around Schiphol is continuing,” said Chief Executive Pieter van Oord.
The airport says measurements from its NOMOS network of around 40 monitoring stations support the finding that newer aircraft types produce less noise than older models.
Oostbaan refurbishment scheduled from March to August
The Schiphol-Oostbaan will undergo what the airport describes as the runway’s most extensive refurbishment to date. Some components are more than 70 years old.
Work will also cover surrounding infrastructure, including a taxiway and drainage ditch.
Schiphol-Oostbaan is the airport’s least-used runway and primarily handles smaller aircraft. Schiphol therefore expects the impact of its refurbishment on surrounding communities to remain limited.
Aircraft will use alternative runways during maintenance periods, changing the distribution of flights and associated noise.
Major maintenance will extend into summer
Chief Infrastructure Officer Bart Smolders said the scale of essential work means Schiphol cannot exclude the summer period from major runway maintenance.
“We realise that our neighbours may experience disruption during the maintenance work,” he said. “That is why we are doing everything we can to keep the period required for this essential maintenance as short as possible.”
The operating forecast sets out anticipated runway use and noise exposure, giving neighbouring communities an indication of how flight patterns may change throughout the year.
