There is no decision yet on the ten thousand holiday flights that should depart annually from Lelystad Airport. Minister Barry Madlener (Infrastructure) would like it, as does Flevoland. But it is politically sensitive, and therefore no decision has been made yet.
This week, Flevoland was very clear: if no holiday flights are allowed to fly from Lelystad Airport, no F-35s will be stationed at the airport.
The cabinet would like the airport near Lelystad to be a base for new F-35 fighter jets, just like the airbases in Volkel and Leeuwarden.
But Flevoland will only agree to that if the province can also benefit from ten thousand passenger flights per year, said King’s Commissioner Arjen Gerritsen to De Telegraaf. No holiday flights but F-35s is, according to him, “unacceptable”.
Minister Madlener (PVV) already expressed the wish last year to open Lelystad Airport for holiday flights. But there is still no agreement within the cabinet. This is because the coalition is divided. PVV and VVD are outspoken supporters of the opening, NSC and BBB are against. As a result, there is not yet sufficient support in the House of Representatives.
Madlener is Looking for ‘Political Support’
After the Council of Ministers meeting on Friday, Madlener said that the message from Flevoland had been received. He said he would work on “political support”.
Currently, the airport is only used for general aviation. This includes business and sports aircraft, for example. Scheduled and charter flights are not operated there.
The owner, Schiphol Group, has wanted to expand for years. Lelystad Airport was originally scheduled to open in 2018, but the opening has been postponed several times since then. Uncertainty about noise pollution, the consequences for the environment and the nitrogen crisis were the causes of this.
Nature Permit is not Yet A Certainty
If Madlener has found the “political support” to also open Lelystad Airport for holiday flights, it is by no means certain that the plan will succeed. The necessary nature permit to be allowed to fly with passenger planes from the airport is not yet there due to nitrogen rules.
Several action groups have already announced that they will go to court if the nature permit is granted.