Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport wants to ban night-time flights and ground private jets in a bid to cut noise pollution and reduce CO2 emissions. The Dutch airport hub estimates that the measures would result in 10,000 fewer flights taking off and landing at Schiphol every year.

The proposed plan would ban aircraft from taking off between midnight and 6 am and prohibit aircraft from landing between midnight and 5 am. The airport would also seek to limit the number of flights allowed to take off and land at the very start and end of each day.

In addition, the Royal Schiphol Group announced it was abandoning plans for an additional runway and said private jets would “no longer be welcome” because of the “disproportionate amount of noise nuisance and CO2 emissions per passenger” they caused.

Around 30 to 50 per cent of private jet traffic in and out of Schiphol are to popular summer party destinations such as Ibiza and Cannes, while the wealthy elite often jet off to Innsbruck for ski holidays during the winter months.

“The only way forward is to become quieter and cleaner more rapidly,” commented the airport owner’s CEO Ruud Sondag on Tuesday. “We have thought about growth but too little about its impact for too long.”

“I realise that our choices may have significant implications for the aviation industry, but they are necessary,” Sondag continued.

Dutch flag carrier KLM said it was “astonished” by Schiphol’s decision to “unilaterally” put forward proposals that would have far-reaching consequences for Dutch aviation.

“Only through a collaborative, sector-wide approach can the aviation industry achieve a balance between its surroundings and the climate,” the airline said in a statement.

Last month, a coalition of airlines and aviation trade groups mounted a legal challenge against the Dutch government over its demands that flights at Schiphol be slashed by 60,000 over the next few years.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) believes the Dutch government is breaking EU law after The Hague failed to consult with the aviation industry before announcing the flight cap.

Schiphol is hoping that it can push through its proposals by 2026 at the latest. Along with plans to discourage older noisier aircraft from using the airport, Schiphol estimates that there will be a 54 per cent reduction in the number of local residents suffering severe sleep disturbance as a result of airport noise.