An alliance of 20 European airlines and airports, including all Lufthansa subsidiaries, Air France-KLM, Frankfurt and Schiphol airports, have challenged the EU’s climate change legislation. The airline complain that the EU’s “Fit for 55” climate package, which has targeted a 55% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, will disadvantage European carriers and airports against their non-European rivals.
The alliance is arguing that any increase in costs would not be applicable to non-European hubs, which means that long-haul flights by European carriers from European airports would be financially disadvantaged at a time when airports and carriers are struggling to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The alliance’s proposed solution would be to dismiss the kerosene tax completely and any environmental protection surcharge be based on the full flight route, rather than just feeder flights which carry passengers from the EU to international hubs such as Istanbul and Dubai.