The plans to lock down Eindhoven Airport for five months are a surprise for the entire sector, says Arjan Kers, CEO of TUI Belgium and the Netherlands. He is supported by ANVR director Frank Oostdam. Kers responds from the Finnish Ivalo to questions from TravMagazine, during a day trip of TUI with 189 partners/travel agents for Valentine’s Day (more on that later). Kers also criticizes the way in which the plans are communicated. ‘It’s possible for next year, but it’s very strange that this news comes out in such a way, without us as airlines being included in it.’ Kers would have preferred a dialogue to have taken place, with an explanation of the plans and an alternative that is offered to the travel sector as a co-user. “But that never happens. A decision is made, but the impact on the sector is never discussed. It’s more like: we’ll throw it over the fence, it’s your problem and solve it.’ Kers wants more clarity about plans as soon as possible, so that alternatives can be considered. ‘During Covid, we created a great alternative with Liège. So we have the experience to go back to Liège. But I also want to know from the government, or in this case from Schiphol, which is responsible for Eindhoven, what opportunities there are to get some extra slots at Schiphol if necessary. That seems very logical to me.’ According to Kers, the sector cannot do anything about the temporary closure of Eindhoven Airport. ‘This comes from the government, so it must be a necessity. But then I would have liked to see a different way of communicating. In that area of communication towards entrepreneurs and sectors, the point has really been missed lately. I think that’s a real shame.’ ANVR: what is alternative? ANVR director Frank Oostdam says he understands the work at Eindhoven Airport. ‘Because they don’t just close the airport, although I think five months is a long time. But the other side of the coin has to be: what are the alternatives? Eindhoven is the second most important airport in the Netherlands, especially for holiday transport. 10 percent of the holiday flights depart from Eindhoven. It cannot be the case that so many thousands of flights are cancelled without there being an alternative.’ Apart from holiday flyers such as Transavia, TUI and Corendon, the entire sector is saddled with a problem, according to Oostdam. ‘That means that we do expect that we will look at how we can move those flights in consultation. That is a difficult one, of course, because the discussion in the Netherlands is about flight capacity and the shrinkage of Schiphol. But it can’t be the case that flight capacity is cut with one stripe, that we leave an important airport closed for five months and then no talks are held with the sector about a solution.’ A temporary closure at the beginning of 2025, the year previously discussed, comes too soon, according to Oostdam. ‘Then I say, postpone it for a while, so that there is enough time to look at alternatives together. It can’t be the case that you close an airport for five months and there is no alternative.”
Eindhoven Airport: decision-making at the end of February A spokesperson for Eindhoven Airport says that the Ministry of Defence is responsible for the renovation work and the planning of its implementation. Eindhoven Airport is actually a military airport, with the Ministry of Defence as the owner, with the exception of the apron for the aircraft and its own terminal. The news about the runway renovation that came out on Wednesday is based on the market consultation from the Ministry of Defence that is online. ‘The Ministry of Defence is also commissioning the Central Government Real Estate Agency to carry out the work. We are co-users of a military airfield. As soon as the plans are finalised, that is the signal to get in touch with everyone around the airport to see what the impact of the plan will be,’ says the spokesperson, who cannot yet say anything about the year in which the work will be carried out and whether that may be 2025.
‘The decision on the work will take place at the end of this month. Then we also know what we can do. We are also dependent on the ministry and can only communicate with partners if we know what is coming our way.’ Eindhoven Airport was originally a civilian airport, but after the Second World War it was transferred to the Royal Netherlands Army as an air base. With 6.8 million passengers in 2023, Eindhoven Airport is the largest regional airport in the Netherlands. Schiphol is the largest shareholder with 51 percent, together with the municipality of Eindhoven and the province of Noord-Brabant (24.5 percent each). The land is owned by the Ministry of Defence, which also provides basic services such as air traffic control, meteorology and fire brigades. (Photo Eindhoven Airport).
