Several leading European airlines urged EU authorities to follow the US lead and push for increased green fuel production on Wednesday, according to Euractiv.
The European Union passed a law requiring airlines to start phasing in sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) on routes departing from EU airports last year as part of the fight against climate change. SAF is expected to account for 2 per cent of the total fuel mix from next year, 6 per cent in 2030, before rising sharply to 70 per cent from 2050.
Airlines for Europe (A4E) stated that SAF production in Europe was lagging behind projects launched in the US and supported by Washington’s sweeping Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) plan. Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr claimed:
In the US, the SAF production is highly incentivised. We need those solutions here in Europe.
Luis Gallego, CEO of International Airlines Group (IAG), which owns British Airways among other airlines, claimed that currently “90 per cent of the investment in new plants of SAF is done in the US.” Gallego argued that European airlines did not have enough “SAF to comply [with the EU directives],” and construction of plants was not taking place.
Airline executives attending the meeting used it as an opportunity to present the European Commission with the industry’s discontent over the fuel issue and to outline their views on how to remain competitive.
They also called for greater safeguards against the effects of industrial action after last year was marked by major shocks, linked not least to protests against pension reform in France.
A4E urges a formal notification period for unions calling for industrial action: 21 days for air traffic controllers in general and 72 hours for individual controllers indicating whether or not they would come to work. France has recently set 48 hours for the latter requirement.
