KLM And BARIN Unveil Social Cost-Benefit Analysis in Collaboration With Dutch Ministry Of Infrastructure & Water

Monday, March 4, 2024

Today, KLM along with BARIN (the Board of Airline Representatives in the Netherlands, representing 50 airlines), consented to the release of a Social Cost-Benefit Analysis (SCBA) by the Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management, a study they had initiated together with the Royal Schiphol Group the previous year. This analysis was undertaken to deepen the understanding of the implications of potential policy decisions regarding the reduction of flights at Schiphol Airport.

The agreement from the outset was that the findings of the report would be disclosed only with unanimous agreement from all involved parties. However, it has come to light that details of the report have been prematurely disclosed, prompting questions and concerns. KLM and BARIN, valuing transparency, have thus concurred on allowing the Ministry to disseminate the SCBA.

Initially, KLM and BARIN withheld the report, citing concerns over the research methodology and the conclusions it reached, deeming them to be skewed and unbalanced. Their main criticisms are as follows:

• The report assesses climate impact on a global scale but limits the evaluation of negative impacts on passengers and the aviation sector to the Netherlands, leading to an overestimation of the benefits in the Environment & Noise Variant.
• It overlooks the potential shift of air traffic from Schiphol to other global airports.
• It fails to account for the detrimental effects the proposed Environment & Noise Variant could have on the Dutch aviation sector, employment, the business environment, and KLM’s sustainability. These critical aspects were not adequately considered in the report’s analysis and findings.

KLM and BARIN are committed to finding a sustainable balance between aviation industry growth and environmental protection. KLM has highlighted its dedication through its industry blueprint for a “cleaner, quieter, and more efficient” future and the “10 Commitments” endorsed by KLM, alongside 30 other stakeholders and research bodies. These initiatives underscore the sector’s push for significant enhancements and stricter measures on an international scale, ideally across Europe.

The Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management plans to present the SCBA to the Dutch House of Representatives soon. The communication and accompanying documents from KLM and BARIN to the Ministry have been made available for download.

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