A formal bid has been submitted by Royal Schiphol Group (RSG) to raise its shareholding in Maastricht Aachen Airport from 40% to 80%, with the group offering €4.2 million for the extra shares. Provincial Council of Limburg approval is required before the transaction can move forward.
RSG has held a 40% shareholding in Maastricht Aachen Airport since 2023, making this offer a significant escalation of that commitment. For the Netherlands, it would bring one of the country's southern cargo airports firmly within the orbit of the group that already operates Amsterdam Schiphol: a point worth noting given our earlier look at Schiphol's own infrastructure and expansion context.
What RSG Is Proposing
Both Air Cargo Week and Aviation24.be report that the offer would take RSG's holding from 40% to 80%, leaving the Province of Limburg with a retained 20% share. The Province would not exit the airport entirely but would move from majority to minority owner.
Air Cargo Week reports that the €4.2 million figure mirrors what RSG paid in 2022 upon first entering the register. According to the same outlet, RSG has set as a condition of the deal that the Province wind up a number of long-standing financial arrangements, and the group has also indicated its willingness to commit further funds to improvements at the airport.
Maastricht Aachen Airport's Current Position
Aviation24.be reports that Maastricht Aachen Airport handled approximately 159,000 passengers and around 41,600 tonnes of cargo in 2025. The airport's cargo business is built around sensitive, time-critical freight: Aviation24.be notes that flowers and pharmaceuticals are among the specialisms of the operation.
That cargo focus makes Maastricht a different proposition from the low-cost passenger airports that dominate Dutch regional aviation. Readers wanting context on how the Netherlands' secondary airports are structured can explore via our Airline Search tool for route and operator detail.
What the Key Parties Have Said
RSG chief financial officer Robert Carsouw set out the group's rationale directly: "With our knowledge and experience as an airport operator, we can work together with Maastricht Aachen Airport and the Province of Limburg to build a strong, financially sound, and future-proof airport."
Provincial deputy Stephan Satijn welcomed the approach. "By acquiring a majority stake, Royal Schiphol Group demonstrates itself to be a committed shareholder that envisions the successful future of Maastricht Aachen Airport and recognizes the importance of the airport for the region, as well as within the broader Dutch aviation system," he said, as quoted by Air Cargo Week.
What Happens Next
The proposal now sits with the Provincial Council of Limburg, which must vote to approve it before any transfer of shares takes place. Both Air Cargo Week and Aviation24.be confirm that the council's decision is the decisive step remaining.
The conditions attached to the offer, particularly the request to unwind certain financial arrangements between the Province and the airport, suggest the negotiations ahead of a formal council vote may be substantive. RSG is simultaneously managing significant change elsewhere in the Dutch aviation sector: our coverage of the KLM restructuring and its 1,000 job cuts reflects how much pressure the broader group is navigating at present.
The Bottom Line
If the Provincial Council approves the deal, RSG will control four fifths of one of the Netherlands' specialist cargo airports, with a mandate to invest further in its infrastructure. For Maastricht Aachen Airport, majority ownership by an experienced airport operator represents a potential turning point. For the Province of Limburg, the question is whether the conditions attached are acceptable in return for a financially stable partner holding the majority of the risk.
This article draws on reporting by Air Cargo Week and Aviation24.be.
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