MPs warn minister for third time not to open Lelystad airport

MPs have told infrastructure minister Robert Tieman to halt his drive to decide before Christmas whether Lelystad airport can open to holiday flights, saying such a move should be left to a new government.

The caretaker cabinet wants to settle the airport’s future quickly because the site is needed to base F-35 jets as part of the expansion of Dutch defence capabilities.

The government hopes to offset the cost of this by allowing commercial flights alongside military use, even though parliament has repeatedly ruled out allowing commercial airlines to use the airport.

“This is really not appropriate for a minister who is in a dual caretaker position,” GroenLinks-PvdA MP Suzanne Kröger said. “And this parliament has already said twice: Lelystad Airport cannot open for commercial aviation. This is the third time we are making that call.”

ChristenUnie MP Pieter Grinwis argued that the airport should be reserved solely for defence. “We need to draw a line under this endless discussion,” he said.

Tieman said the cabinet will first deliberate internally before deciding what to do next.

The Netherlands currently has 40 F-35s, but that number is set to rise to 57. Additional capacity is also needed to temporarily station foreign fighter jets.

The province of Flevoland, where Lelystad is located, has been urging the government to clarify its plans for the airport so that “locals and landowners know where they stand”. Some €250 million has been spent so far on the redevelopment.

Last October, infrastructure minister Barry Madlener said he hoped to open Lelystad airport for holiday flights this year, despite a majority of MPs opposing the move.

Opponents argue that environmental concerns, public health risks and nitrogen emissions make it irresponsible to open a new civilian airport at the site. Lelystad is currently used by private aircraft and a flying school.

Many charter airlines have also expressed resistance to being relocated to Lelystad, which lacks a direct link to Schiphol and has no train station.