KLM, Schiphol Subject of Competition Investigation
THE HAGUE, 24/07/13 - The Consumer and Markets Authority (ACM) has launched an investigation of the accord recently concluded by Schiphol airport and airline company KLM.
On Tuesday, both Schiphol and KLM were visited to obtain more information about the working-out of the accord, according to a spokesman for the ACM. Schiphol and KLM confirmed the visit by ACM, announced beforehand. Schiphol and KLM have been at loggerheads for years on the airport’s rates. A recent accord under the leadership of former Minister Hans Alders, stipulated that Schiphol must in future dovetail investments with KLM. A moderate fees trend was also decided on, which is intended to enable investments in a new pier and central security. Alders said a month later that the Schiphol accord was presented to the Solicitor-General to envisage possible competition problems meanwhile. Other users of Schiphol, such as EasyJet, were furious about the fact that they were kept out of the discussion on the future of the airport. The accord also says that KLM and Schiphol should work even more closely together, to ensure the survival of the ‘hub’, the Schiphol interchange with its international network. The airport is investing over 1 billion euros in the coming years in expansions, which will mainly benefit KLM and its partners. |
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