Schiphol plans 80 per cent stake in loss-making Maastricht airport

Schiphol plans to take an 80 per cent stake in Maastricht Aachen Airport, committing €4 million to acquire shares and a further €33 million to invest in the loss-making airport over the coming years.

The province of Limburg currently owns 60 per cent of the airport, with Schiphol Group holding the remaining 40 per cent. The proposed deal would make Schiphol the majority shareholder. Financial chief Robert Carsouw announced the planned investment.

Schiphol says there is room for growth in Dutch aviation and expects the airport near Maastricht to play an important role. Schiphol and Maastricht Aachen are the only airports in the Netherlands handling commercial air freight.

The airport has recorded losses of millions of euros for years. Limburg put tens of millions into keeping it open in 2022, but it has since fallen well short of the passenger and freight targets in the rescue plan behind that support.