EasyJet rebuffs environmental report

A report to government recommending airlines be taxed to reduce emissions harmful to the environment has been condemned by easyJet.

The no-frills carrier claimed the House of Common’s Environmental Audit Committee report failed to address the “most obvious solutions” to achieve a reduction of emissions from aviation.

According the airline, these include the reform of air traffic control (potential to reduce emissions between 8-18%.) or ending state aid which typically goes to struggling national airlines, generally operating older, dirtier aircraft with low load factors.

“Moreover the inclusion of aviation in the EU’s Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) will create a strong incentive mechanism for airlines to become more environmentally efficient. There also needs to be greater emphasis on technological improvements and aircraft manufacturers – rather than taxing air travellers,” an easyJet statement said.

Attacking what it described as “punative tax” recommendations in the report, the airline said: “Taxes constitute a blunt policy mechanism, which will do nothing for environmental efficiency and instead will only put more money into the government’s pockets.

“The idea to price the most price-sensitive and less affluent customers  (i.e. the poorest in society) out of the sky as the means to reduce emissions from aviation is not only a blunt and unimaginative measure – but it is also unnecessary, given that there are better options available, such as the urgently needed air traffic control reform.”

EasyJet countered by pointing out that aviation only accounts for 3% EU CO2, a small proportion in comparison to road transport (20% of EU CO2).

“Low-fares airlines like easyJet are highly environmentally efficient, as we fly with the youngest fleet in Europe, with high load factors, operating point-to-point traffic, which significantly reduces the number of take-offs and landings,” the airline added. “Aviation has always been a key driver for technological development in the past and easyJet has made major investments in recent years.”

The carrier also claimed that rail is the greatest single user of electricity in Europe and “the idea of building lots of high-speed rail links at the taxpayer’s expense comes at a huge environmental and financial cost”.

The European Low Fares Airlines Association said the report failed to acknowledge that, alone of all transport modes in Europe, aviation meets in full all the costs of its infrastructure with none of the “massive subsidies” enjoyed by road and rail. 

While ELFAA said it welcomed proposed eco-labelling for aviation but claimed the various taxes proposed – while they would increase the cost of flights – would make no direct contribution to the environment.

A statement said: “The introduction of the existing UK Air Passenger Duty, which was predicated on the environment, has resulted in no funds raised being channelled towards the environment. All proceeds have, rather, accrued directly to the Treasury.

“The sharp and continuing rise in fuel cost already provides the most powerful incentive to aircraft operators to optimise fuel burn. ELFAA members already operate the youngest aircraft fleets which they operate with denser seating configurations and higher load factors, further minimising fuel burn and resultant carbon emissions per flown passenger mile.

“There is no evidence to support the contention, implicit in the report, that imposing swingeing taxes alters consumer demand for air travel across the spectrum – witness the already high fuel surcharges levied by many traditional airlines. What the proposed taxes would do, however, is disproportionately affect the affordability of air travel for the budget conscious, who have been the greatest beneficiaries of the far-sighted liberalisation of air travel within the EU.”

Report by Phil Davies