by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 5:50 PM ET, Thu September 25, 2025
The United States is voicing opposition to plans and proposals throughout Europe that would reduce transatlantic flight capacity.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Wednesday that Washington would respond if European governments seek to impose any unilateral restrictions on transatlantic travel, according to Reuters. Duffy said the U.S. government would seek to enforce international aviation agreements should it be necessary.
His comments offer push back against proposals like the one floated in the Netherlands back in 2023 and 2024, which would have seen total flights in and out of Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport potentially reduced.
The Amsterdam flight hub had been trying address both noise issues and environmental concerns linked to climate change and CO2 emissions.The draft plan included reducing the number of flights to the airport from 500,000 to 460,000. Local officials had said at the time that they were attempting to find a more equitable balance between the interests of aviation and the environment.
Former U.S. Congressman Sean Duffy. (Photo Credit: Kristie Boyd, U.S. House Office of Photography/House Creative Services)
Meanwhile, a passenger cap at Dublin airport is under consideration, but is currently on hold pending a legal challenge against the proposal.
"We're seeing more airports get in the game of trying to restrict air traffic, which is contrary to the agreements that we have with them," Duffy told Reuters.
"It's important for commerce, for trade, for the movement of people in business, that we keep these flights open," Duffy added.
Europe isn’t the only focus of the U.S. government’s concern. Duffy has also set his sights on Mexico, saying that the U.S. government could disapprove flight requests from Mexico if that government fails to address U.S. concerns.
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