Lufthansa: German air travel tax, EU ETS, Frankfurt night flight ban to cost over USD700m in 2012

Lufthansa CEO and chairman of the executive board Christoph Franz stated (08-May-2012) the political environment in Germany and Europe is making it difficult for the Group to improve its earnings position. The introduction of the air traffic tax and the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), the night flight ban in Frankfurt and the absence of a single European airspace have added expenses of some EUR700 million for Lufthansa in the current year alone, according to Mr Franz. He stated, "The airline's role as an engine of the economy, as a driver of growth, jobs and prosperity is increasingly under threat. As an export nation, Germany needs mobility more than ever. We are not asking for subsidies. But air traffic needs much more local support than it gets at present. We will only make headway if there is cooperation between airlines, politics and society." [more - original PR]