The Parliament has missed the opportunity to promote a realistic strategy addressing aviation and climate change and instead is calling offhandedly for the introduction of all the most restrictive and punitive measures possible. No assessment has been made of the consequences for the airline industry, the European economy or the quality of life of European citizens.

Sylviane Lust, IACA Director General commented: “Any approach to aviation and the environment which calls for the simultaneous introduction of taxes on aviation fuel, VAT on airline tickets, environmental charges at airports and emissions trading scheme (ETS) totally ignores economic realities. Moreover the recommendation to set up a separate ETS scheme for aviation is totally unrealistic.”

IACA believes that the airline industry, its employees, and its customers deserve a more serious and responsible approach from the European Parliament. As a sector contributing so essentially to economic development and the quality of life of all European citizens, we expect the European Parliament to carefully balance the interests of all society.

The radical approach proposed by the European Parliament in its Opinion cannot be seen as a constructive contribution to the debate on aviation and the environment.