This is what Schiphol will (perhaps) look like 300 years from now

I will never forget my first time flying. My sister celebrated her birthday, and as a present, she received a trip to Switzerland by plane. It wasn't so much about Switzerland itself as the flying experience. She always wanted to experience that once. And I, the younger sister, got to go along. I must have been about seven years old.

The anticipation was great. Flying to me was like something in a science fiction movie. As the flight approached, the excitement rose. First waiting at the gate; packing apple juice. Then with steps into the plane. The flight attendants had a surprise for us. Before we took off, we even got to talk to the pilots in the cockpit. It felt like visiting the king, so exciting.

However, the happiness didn't last long. I was suffering tremendously from motion sickness. For the rest of the flight, I saw virtually nothing but the inside of the paper bag in my hands that the flight attendants replaced every few minutes. Not the experience I had hoped for. But that overwhelming feeling when I walked into the cockpit will stay with me forever.

Little me dreamed of “taking to the air once in one of those flying things". I, now, daydream about a flying experience in the distant future. What will Schiphol look like 300 years from now? Will the planes still be the same by then? And will there still be such a thing as 'being ashamed of flying?

Innovative aircraft designs

Schiphol, 2324. A plane, looking radically different from what we are used to today, is preparing to land. The classic Boeing and Airbus models, with their distinctive twin jet engines and straight wings, were always the iconic symbol of aviation. But in 300 years, everything will be different. Parties such as the Netherlands Aerospace Center came up with the most innovative aircraft designs.

Aircraft that fly entirely on autopilot are powered by several smaller propellers spread across the wings. The design keeps air resistance to a minimum and is therefore extremely economical.

In three hundred years, only two types of aircraft propulsion will exist: electricity and hydrogen. Completely sustainable, in other words. Flight shame is no longer an issue! Thanks to enormous advances in battery technology, electric planes can now travel longer distances, not only across Europe but beyond. For really long flights, hydrogen is the solution. This technology has also made great leaps forward. Hydrogen batteries are now many times lighter than before. Because the conversion of electricity to hydrogen has been greatly improved, flying on hydrogen has also become more profitable.

Radical increase in height

Due to space constraints, the airport has expanded its infrastructure vertically. The classic idea of a sprawling airport has been replaced in some places by stacked runways. The upper tiers are for long-haul flights, while the lower ones serve smaller planes and flying cabs.

Advanced navigation technology now allows planes to land with unimaginable precision on a runway below another, without any interference. This is made possible by automated air traffic control and sensors on the planes that provide real-time feedback, among other things.

The runways themselves have also changed remarkably. The gray asphalt has been replaced by state-of-the-art runways of shiny iridescent titanium blue. These futuristic runways are equipped with advanced solar panel technology, which allows electric planes to charge directly while landing or taking off. Just like the rest of Schiphol Airport, by the way. The airport is completely energy-neutral. The electricity generated is also converted into hydrogen.

To the pub with Stephen Hawking

In the column series “What the world would be like, if...” Elcke Vels explores intriguing scenarios that deviate from the status quo. Each column is supported by AI-generated images.

Goodbye passport

Say goodbye to your passport, by the way. Next-generation facial recognition makes travel a lot easier. Data is encrypted end-to-end, ensuring privacy and preventing misuse. Only certified and trusted parties have access. So no China-like scenes. This allows connected airports to securely share your travel data.

Everything gets used

It's funny to realize how quickly things get used. While adults in 2024 may find it the most normal thing in the world to glide through the air in a vacuum tube, we will still be surprised by a triple runway. In 300 years, that probably won't be so special anymore.

I wonder what else we will find dead normal by then. Maybe a plane ride to Mars, or even a little further. Time will tell!