The cabinet is to press ahead with reducing the number of flights at Schiphol to cut serious noise pollution close to the airport, prime minister Dick Schoof told reporters after Friday’s press conference.

From next year, the airport will be allowed to facilitate 478,000 take-offs and landings, down 4.4% on the current total of 500,000. This, combined with the introduction of quieter aircraft, will cut noise for locals by 15%, five percentage points below the 20% target, Schoof said.

Aviation minister Barry Madlener said earlier that new noise calculations would allow between 475,000 and 485,000 flights. The previous government’s plans called for a cut to 440,000.

The new figure, based on calculations by two independent bureaus, will now be put to the European Commission, which will decide if the Netherlands has done all it can to prevent cuts to air traffic numbers.

In June, Amsterdam city council called for a 20% cut in flights at Schiphol.

City officials want the airport to reduce the number of take-offs and landings to 400,000, close the airport at night and shut down one of its runways with a landing route directly over the city, in an effort to reduce both noise and pollution.

Amsterdam owns 20% of the airport’s shares.

Amsterdam’s finance chief Hester van Buren told Dutch News the decision is “disappointing” and that “once again the noise nuisance and the negative effect on local residents is not being taken seriously.”

Dutch flag carrier KLM said in a reaction that cutting the number of flights risks retaliation from other countries. For example, reducing the landing rights of US airlines could lead to restrictions for Dutch airlines in that country, the airline said.