The International Air Transport Association has come forward to scrap the night flight ban at Brussels Zaventem Airport.
IATA claims that the move is premature and would breach the international obligations under the ‘balanced approach’ to noise, which determines that airport curfews should be considered a last resort.
Rafael Schvartzman, regional vice president, Europe, IATA said: “The noise concerns of the community around Brussels airport must be heard, but it is profoundly unfortunate that Minister Gilkinet has attempted to circumvent the Balanced Approach, which is the long-accepted and successful international process for managing airport noise impacts.”
“The Balanced Approach specifically helps to mitigate noise while protecting the benefits of air connectivity for the economy and community both near the airport and across Belgium as a whole, not least in terms of thousands of jobs. It is vital that the government scrap this proposal and instead engage in meaningful consultation with stakeholders,” Schvartzman added.
IATA further argued that cargo flights are the most affected by the night flight ban in Brussels Airport, with Belgium being known for having strong pharmaceutical exports as well.
This will impact flights bound for areas such as Africa, which is an area of the fastest economic growth in the world.
