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8-Feb-2012 7:40 AM

IATA urges Europe to shore-up the competitiveness of aviation sector

IATA director general and CEO Tony Tyler urged (07-Feb-2012) European policymakers to focus aviation efforts on measures to shore-up the competitiveness of Europe's aviation sector. IATA's key points include the following policy priorities:

  • Capacity: IATA welcomed many aspects of the recent Airports Package, but highlighted the industry's concern for the intention to change the 80:20 use-it-or-lose-it rule to 85:15 for airport slot management;
  • Single European Sky (SES): IATA believes SES will improve Europe's competitiveness by increasing airspace capacity, improving safety, cutting carbon emissions by some 16 million tonnes annually and halving air traffic management costs. The latest SES progress report notes that only five out of 27 states are on track to meet agreed upon targets to reduce delays and improve cost efficiency. And only one out of the nine Functional Airspace Blocks is expected to meet the year-end target deadline, according to IATA;
  • EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS): IATA continued to call for a global solution through ICAO as the key to breaking the impasse on Europe's plans to unilaterally include international aviation in the EU ETS;
  • Biofuel: Mr Tyler noted that sustainable biofuels were a key component of the aviation industry's commitments to cap net emissions from 2020 and cut them in half by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. [more - original PR]

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