Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport (AMS) has been at the center of a long-running dispute over capacity. On the one hand, some want to expand the airport or at least allow a higher number of flights, while others oppose growth at AMS on environmental grounds. One of the proposed solutions to Schiphol's capacity constraints is to utilize the facilities available at nearby Lelystad Airport (LEY), located around 60km east from Schiphol Airport and 50km from the center of Amsterdam.
Attempts to convert this general aviation airport for commercial use have dragged on for decades, with authorities so far deciding against the move. However, this could all be set to change in the next few years, with the Dutch government once again mulling over opening the airport up to commercial flights. Notably, Lelystad Airport is owned by Schiphol Group, the same company that operates Amsterdam Schiphol, which could help smoothen the process.
The plan is to have up to 10,000 flight movements at Lelystad each year, with a focus on holiday and leisure routes, but it isn't clear if or when Lelystad will launch commercial operations. What is Lelystad Airport? You would be forgiven for not having heard of Lelystad Airport before, as it has never actually been a commercial airport in over half a century of operations. Instead, the 255-hectare facility - built on a large patch of reclaimed land - ranks as the largest general aviation airport in the Netherlands.
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