Amsterdam opened a new runway at their airport about a year ago - it's called 18R/36L. Aircraft operating between there and London generally use it either for departure or arrival.
It is several kilometres to the West of the central terminal area, and it takes about an extra ten minutes to get to or from that runway, compared to the central runways.
Doubtless the runway is keeping the noise lobby happy, as you don't have so many aircraft taking off or landing in the central area. But for every aircraft "movement" that could have used one of the central runways (and given the abundance of runways there, this is basically all of them), aircraft are burning an extra 100-200 kg of fuel to get to or from the runway. This equates to about half a tonne of carbon dioxide.
Runway 24 is one of the most central runways used for departure there. It takes literally five minutes to taxy there from the main European gates. However, even when the wind suits 24, western departures will have to taxy out to 36R, whilst eastern and southern departures depart from 24. So a departure to Prague goes from runway 24 - and has to make a 150 degree turn once it takes off to head east. And a departure to London goes from runway 36L - with the extra taxy fuel - and has to make a 150 degree turn once it takes off to head southwest. So yet more unnecessary carbon dioxide production.
I realise that this will mean nothing to most readers. Sorry. As with many of my posts, it has the air of a rant, which there is a small chance will be picked up by somebody interested in the subject looking on Google, or something.
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