IATA: Industry not meeting Single European Sky targets
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The Single European Sky (SES) is progressing “far too slowly” with members not meeting cost-cutting initiatives, IATA has said.
Speaking at the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) in Strasbourg, Tony Tyler, director general and CEO of IATA told delegates that the industry is unlikely to meet a 70% improvement in capacity while meeting safety standards by 2020. SES is also meant to ensure the aviation industry cuts its environmental impact by 10% and halves its costs.
“Our projection is that European airlines will lose $1.1 billion this year—the heaviest losses for any region’s airlines,” said Tyler. “That is why we are supporting the European Commission Vice President Siim Kallas in his top-down approach. And we are calling for stiff penalties for states and ANSPs that don’t meet their targets”.
He criticised airport capacity restrictions across Europe, highlighting Heathrow and Munich airports’ fight for a third runway. In addition, Frankfurt Airport completed a fourth runway to then be faced a ban on all-night flying.
Tyler also continued to hit out against the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), warning it could cause a ‘trade war’ by undermining global efforts to cut emissions.
“Deviations from global standards or a global approach hinder the industry. And in the case of our efforts to manage aviation’s climate change impact, Europe’s go-it-alone, unilateral and extra-territorial approach to market-based measures is triggering a trade war – a war that Europe cannot afford, and from which no one can emerge victorious,” Tyler said.
He reiterated IATA’s call to find a global framework for market-based emissions measures through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and urged European leaders to take steps to defuse the current conflict, especially with China, which is not complying with the ETS and has ordered its airlines to withhold orders for wide-body Airbus jets.