Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport has dropped out of the top-10 of international airfields. From 2001 to 2006 it proudly occupied the no. 9 spot, but it has now been relegated to a modest 14th position.

The ranking is drawn up by Geneva-based Airports Council International (ACI), based on 2008 figures. And the downward slide continues. ACI's latest figures, for April 2009, show that Schiphol is now the world's 19th airport.

A report in the financial daily Financieele Dagblad (FD) explains that the top-ten placement, consistently just behind Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport was based on Schiphol's passenger turnover. Most passengers who arrive at the Amsterdam airhub are transferring to other flights, rather than terminate there. This so-called "network function" of Schiphol Airport is under pressure because of consolidating moves in the airline industry, and ongoing liberalisation.

Just statistics

An airport spokeswoman played down the low ranking and emphasised Schiphol's ambition to preserve the network function. "They're just statistics, we don't really worry about that. After Frankfurt, Schiphol is offering the highest number of destinations, some 260 all over the world." The spokesperson admitted that a fall in passenger numbers meant a reduction in the airport's income.

ACI is also keeping track of the number of flight movements, that is, the sum of all take-offs and landings. These have been at the same level since 2000, after a sharp increase in the 1990s caused to a large extent by KLM's alliance with US Northwest Airlines. Another growth factor was the 1992 Open Skies treaty between the Netherlands and the USA. "Schiphol is bound by very strict environmental regulations and has but a small hinterland. We have hardly any internal flights, unlike airports like Madrid," the Schiphol spokeswoman added.

Expansion plans

"Other airline operators, such as Lufthansa, have meanwhile made similar moves like those of Schiphol-based KLM," air transport economist Jaap de Wit told the FD. This has promoted growth at other airports. Schiphol itself says that its flight movements have remained at the same level because of the September 11 attacks, the SARS (bird flu) epidemic, and the ticket tax levied by the Dutch government.

Meanwhile, the current government has pledged to expand Schiphol. Transport Minister Camiel Eurlings intends to reserve building space for a new runway after 2020, he wrote to parliament. The move is opposed by local authorities, businesses and residents. The minister's airline industry white paper will be discussed by parliament in September.

(www.aci.aero, BNR, FD, Volkskrant)