AMSTERDAM, July 7 (Reuters) – The Dutch government is allowed to reduce the number of flights at Schiphol airport, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal ruled on Friday.

Airlines, including Air France’s KLM, had won a case in a lower court against a government plan to cut annual flights there to 460,000 from 500,000.

In a statement, KLM said it was disappointed by the ruling and was studying it.

The government had announced the cap in February, calling it a temporary solution to cut noise pollution and to tackle other environmental issues.

Royal Schiphol Group, the operator of airports in the Netherlands, is majority-owned by the Dutch state.

Photo Jeroen Vogelaar