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European airlines have called on the EU to bring back environmental rules. This shows a significant change in the tone of the industry struggling with kindergarten.
On behalf of 17 airlines, Bosses Ryanair, Lufthansa and Air France-KLM, owners of British Airways, International Air Group, said BLOC should consider rules that require airport fuel suppliers to supply sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to depart flights.
The chief executive of the main group also said that the EU carbon pricing rules for aviation should be relaxed to a cheaper and global standard to force industries to purchase sufficient allowances to cover pollution.
“We need to quickly cut and amend EU regulations,” said Carsten Spohr, chief executive of German airline group Lufthansa.
Brussels is under pressure from business groups to cut its sustainability agenda to help European companies become more competitive, particularly as President Donald Trump launches a deregulation drive in the United States.
The bloc’s economic competitiveness TSAR suggests that the EU is ready to fill some of its green policies to align the bloc’s industry last month.
At the European-European Trade Airlines Conference (A4E) in Brussels, the chief executive said the EU should delay regulations requiring fuel companies to provide airlines with increasing numbers of “sustainable aviation fuels” each year. The requirement is that airlines use 2% this year, rising to 6% by 2030.
These fuels are usually made from organic materials such as spent cooking oil and crops, but can reduce your net carbon emissions by about 70%. But they are much more expensive than fossil fuels or shortages.
“We are pleased to announce that we are committed to providing a range of services and services to our customers,” said Lewis Gallego, CEO of IAG.
IAG’s Chiefleis Galego was one of those seeking an EU pullback ©Brais Lorenzo/Bloomberg
The airline has denounced the oil major for cutting its supply of renewable fuel.
“If the supply isn’t there, you can’t buy it, it’s a simple economics 101,” said Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary.
The UK is obligated to require 10% fuel by 2030 for the SAF. O’Leary said the UK government “has no option” but will emit this.
He added that bringing the EU emissions trading scheme to the Corsia system, the global aviation industry, which charges prices much lower than the EU system, “creates a level playing field for European consumers.”
However, an unpublished EU report in 2021 was found in the Financial Times, where it found Corsia was effective in the EU climate policy and at risk of “weaking” by lack of enforcement.
Diane Vitri, director of airlines for Transport and Environment, an environmental NGO, said the airlines are “jumping on an anti-green trend that disappoints customers who are increasingly trying to fly the green.”
She added that Corsia is “a very weak system and effectively provides a cheap offset that doesn’t cost Co2 the right price.”
But Spohr said EU consumers deserve a more “honest” debate about decarbonisation, particularly as fuel companies cut production of some renewable fuels and Airbus delayed its ambitions for introducing hydrogen-powered aircraft.
“Engineers are changing in terms of debate and engineering decision making. Engineers have stopped working on hydrogen, moving from SAF production to fossil fuel production, which will affect reaching net zero.
