AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – U.S. carrier JetBlue Airways said on Thursday that it had asked the U.S. Department of Transportation to ban Air France’s KLM from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, if planned Schiphol Airport curbs take place, saying they violate the U.S.-EU Air Transport Agreement.
The Dutch government last month said it would move ahead with plans to cap the number of flights at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport next year to reduce noise, a decision that is fiercely opposed by flag carrier KLM and airline industry groups.
Flights will be capped at 452,500 per year, almost 10% below 2019 levels and lower than a previous proposal of 460,000.
“If the Dutch Government is allowed to effectively expel new entrant JetBlue from AMS without facing any consequential and proportional countermeasures from the Department, other governments may decide to follow suit”, JetBlue said.
In September, JetBlue filed a complaint against the Netherlands and the European Union with the U.S. government over the matter.
KLM said on Thursday that it had warned the Dutch government about possible retaliation.
“This is very harmful for KLM and endangers the network that connects the Netherlands with the rest of the world”, the airline said.
The Dutch government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
