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KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Voted the 2015 Quietest Airline at Václav Havel Airport Prague

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines successfully defended its 2014 title of the QUIETEST AIRLINE. The award was presented to the winner by representatives of both contest organisers – Jiří Kraus, Prague Airport Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Ondřej Kolář, Mayor of Prague 6 Municipality. Alongside noise level and flight track adherence monitoring, the annual contest also focuses on aircraft seat capacity use, i.e. the load factor. The contest was designed with the goal of motivating air carriers to pursue a considerate approach to residents of the airport’s surrounding areas.

The ninth annual contest took place from 1 May to 31 October 2015, i.e. during the most intense air traffic operations, and assessed the airlines most frequently servicing Václav Havel Airport Prague. The ANOMS8 monitoring system, which continuously measures air traffic noise, was used to evaluate the contest. It includes 13 stationary and 2 mobile measuring stations placed at selected locations in the airport’s vicinity to ensure sufficient information values of the measurements.

“The contest has a positive impact on the environment and at the same time on the quality of life in the airport’s surrounding areas, which are two important aspects of Czech Aeroholding’s sustainable business strategy. I, personally, consider sustainability to be the only way of managing such a large company. I am also glad that we have a way of motivating our partners to pursue the same approach,” Václav Řehoř, Czech Aeroholding Chairman of the Board of Directors, said. 

“We welcome all initiatives which can help keep decreasing noise levels in the surroundings of an airport with international operations. This contest motivates airlines to use more modern and quieter aircraft. We fully appreciate the importance of having an international airport located in the immediate vicinity of the capital, but at the same time we cannot be indifferent to citizens residing in the airport’s surrounding areas. We strive to maintain the highest possible living standards for them,” Ondřej Kolář, Mayor of Prague 6 Municipality, added. 

KLM is the proud holder of three glass swallows, the prize presented by Prague Airport to carriers pursuing a considerate approach to the environment. The Dutch carrier also won the trophy last year and in 2008. 

“We truly appreciate this award. For KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, awards received for excellence in sustainability are always a welcome reward for the efforts and the extensive measures we always invest in our activities. The sustainable and considerate behaviour towards the environment, as well as to the communities surrounding the airports, is an important criterion for us. Air France and KLM hold the number one position at the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the past 11 years in the aviation category,” František Šiling, Country Manager Air France KLM for the Czech Republic and Slovakia commented.

Detailed rules and regulations of the contest and comprehensive information regarding noise monitoring at Václav Havel Airport Prague are available online at: www.prg.aero under the Environment section.