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The Dutch Supreme Court has scrapped a government decision to limit the number of flights at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, one of Europe's busiest hubs.
The court ruled on Wednesday that the 2024 decision, which aimed to cap flights at 478,000 annually to curb noise pollution, was not properly motivated.
It found the government's decision failed to account for the varying noise levels of different aircraft, rendering the general cap inappropriate.
Moreover, it was unclear if the installed cap would achieve the intended noise reduction.
The government, acknowledging the judgment, said it underscored the need for new regulations to strengthen the legal basis of its air-traffic policies.
Airlines had appealed the decision, arguing it went too far, while climate activists and local residents had sought more restrictive action.
The court did allow a reduction of nighttime flights, as none of the parties had appealed that part of the government's decision.
The news comes months after Netherland’s largest airport announced it will undergo a €10bn (£8.7bn) renovation project.
Located five miles outside of the capital, some 66.8 million passengers passed through the airport in 2024, more than three times the population of the country.
The airport has announced it will create a new terminal and renovate existing areas over the next decade.
In its master plan, the airport detailed that the current terminal size is inadequate for the number of travellers it serves.
More space is needed for quality and resilience, while modernisation is required in the outdated parts of the airport, it said.
The plan offers a vision of how the airport will look by 2050, with details including a new south terminal and increased space for larger aircraft.
The airport also plans to open Pier A, a departure gate area, by 2027, before renovated the existing Piers B, C, D and H/M. Piers are the long, thin buildings that extend from the main terminal, with gates on either side for boarding aircraft.
Renovations also extend to catering facilities, shops, seating areas and lounges to improve the experience of travellers.
The roads around the airport will be upgraded, while public transport will also be improved, including plans for a new metro line between Amsterdam, Schiphol and the town of Hoofddorp.