Press conference at New York City Hall

Toespraak | 11-08-2010

Mr Mayor, Governor, ladies and gentlemen,

Moments like this make you proud to be Minister of Transport and a Dutchman.
In expanding cooperation between JFK, Delta Airlines and Schiphol, we are again confirming the excellent relationship between the United States and the Netherlands in the field of air transport.

New York City has a special place in my heart.
The drive and splendour of this great city spark my imagination.
It is therefore an honour to celebrate this important step in the company of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Chris Patterson.

I would like to thank you, Mayor Bloomberg and you, Governor Patterson for your inspiring words, for your friendship and for your commitment to the strong ties between our two countries.
This splendid location, New York City Hall, makes this occasion all the more special.

Our countries share a history of daring entrepreneurship and innovation in the air.

• Shortly after the War, KLM became the first European airline to start a scheduled service to New York.
• In 1992 the United States and the Netherlands were the first countries to enter into an Open Skies Treaty.
• And a decade ago, the Port Authority gave Schiphol the opportunity to become the first overseas airport operator to manage airport infrastructure here in the US, at JFK.

I would like to thank Chris Ward, Executive Director of the Port Authority for his confidence in us. And for the recent decision of the Port Authority to create an even wider window of opportunity for cooperation between American and Dutch partners.

Delta Airlines and Schiphol will combine their expertise to create a new ‘state of the art’ Terminal 4.
Schiphol Airport has a reputation as one of Europe’s best. Delta is the largest and one of the best-known airlines in the world.
I am confident that the expansion of Terminal 4 will prove to be a new milestone in this highly productive American-Dutch partnership.
Richard Anderson; thank you for your commitment to this partnership.

The innovative capacity of air transport has been an indispensable driver of growth in the Netherlands.
Thanks to our pioneering spirit, we have been able to build a network of connections that can measure up to the largest centres in Europe.

This is one of the reasons that the Netherlands is now an international meeting place for people, businesses, goods, services and cultures.
Small in size, large in impact. The fifth largest exporter in the world.
That is something we should cherish.
To stay on top, we need the kind of strategic alliances we are celebrating today.

This step will strengthen the position of JFK International Airport as a worldwide hub. Not only because of Schiphol’s international reputation as a prize winner in the field of consumer quality, but also because of its performance in punctuality and sustainability.

It will also strengthen the position of Schiphol as a major transport hub with a high-quality network. There are services from Schiphol at least once a week to 230 destinations. That puts us ahead of London Heathrow.

Once again, the United States and the Netherlands are showing courage and vision.
We take the lead.
Together we will continue to think beyond borders.
Together we will spread our wings and find new and exciting territories.

I wish all partners concerned the best of luck with this expansion.
It makes me, as Minister of Transport of the Netherlands, very proud and happy