The Dutch government has now granted permission to operate an additional A380 flight at Amsterdam Schiphol, according to reports.
Emirates already operates a twice daily service (the other flight is currently flown by B777-300ER) from the Dutch airport so it means it will be able to both offer a more attractive product for both flights and provide more seats to passengers.
As we have previously reported (see news November 19), the news that Emirates wished to operate a twice daily A380 service at Schiphol did not go down well with both national airline KLM and the Dutch pilots’ union VNV.
But really the opportunities for the Dutch government to intervene and restrict Emirates are limited. Holland favours “open skies” and its aviation treaty with the UAE is a liberal one.
According to Dutch financial newspaper fd.nl, Sharon Dijksma, the State Secretary for Intfrastructure and the Environment emphasises that “Only if it is shown that the companies [airlines] from the UAE do not comply with the provisions of the aviation agreement can we stop the second daily service of the A380.”
The Dutch ruling will allow the carrier to start its second daily A380 service from February 1, 2016.
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