Easyjet slams environment report that calls for air tax

Taxation on air travel is "sloppy thinking" and risks damaging the European economy, Easyjet said today.

The airline issued a statement in response to a report by the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University which says the government should reconsider its policy to expand UK airport capacity and should make flying less attractively priced.

"It is clear airlines still have their part to play in safeguarding the environment, but it is important to put this in to perspective - the European Commission"s own calculations confirm that aviation accounts for just 3% of CO2 emissions in Europe," said the Easyjet statement.

"Calling for greater taxation on air travel is sloppy thinking and risks damaging the European economy as a whole (3.1 million jobs and €221bn of GDP in the EU-15 are dependent upon aviation, accounting for 8% of Europe"s GDP). Aviation is also a key driver for integration with the new Member States and growth under the EU"s Lisbon Agenda.

"Taxation is a blunt instrument that will only put more money into the pockets of governments, whilst discriminating against the poorest in society, who until recently were priced out of the sky. Crucially, and most importantly, it does not benefit the environment."

It said applying an Emissions Trading Scheme only to intra-European short-haul travel would only cover 20% of Europe"s flying - or 1% of total EU emissions.

"This would appear to be insufficient and would only represent "tokenism" on the part of the EU. Much greater coverage could be obtained by including ex-EU flights in the scheme of classifying airports as the "installation", rather than airlines, thereby ensuring that every take-off and landing is covered - regardless of the destination of the aircraft."

By Bev Fearis

Thursday, October 19, 2006

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Flights for All

discrimination against the "poorest in society"... I presume he's not referring to the population of Bangladesh that will be wiped off the planet.

By Robin Helps, Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Tax not the answer

EasyJet make a good point about tax being blunt and not putting money into any activity other than more inefficient government administration. However, we need urgent action on emissions. The realistic options in front of us with regard to a reduction in air emissions, are greater education about CO2 generation to inform consumer choice, tradeable personal carbon air travel allowances and voluntary offset to mitigate emissions that cannot be avoided. The inclusion of airlines into an emissions trading scheme is simple in theory but in practice will not deliver what consumers expect. To introduce an air emissions scheme requires agreement on who is responsible for each flight emission based upon origin of flight, nationality of passengers, airline vs passenger responsibility for emissions creation. 2008 may be optimistic for intergovenrmental agreement on this. In the interim unilateral tax solutions will not deliver a lower carbon world and each individual must look to their own actions, consumption and responsibility for carbon emissions.

By Hugo Kimber, Friday, October 20, 2006
Consider the WHOLE trip

This is not new but demands everyone’s attention. Consider the following: The EU is forging ahead and may overrule the UK by forcing the airlines into a carbon emissions trading scheme. Applying this to either short haul or long haul is unfair. However it should be noted that if this is about fairness we should consider the whole trip. For example congestion at LHR has been caused by several factors. Among them are two - night flights are curtailed due to noise pollution. (Which is worse? – Noise or Carbon?) Demand has out stripped the supply as a result the waiting time both in taxi and landing modes generates more carbon which is unnecessary. Crying foul is not solving the problem. Constructive solutions involve education (alerting people to the "true" cost of the carbon for each activity). Solutions must be for all of us to lead carbon neutral or carbon positive lives as best we can. That will make a dent in the bigger problem. Cheers Timothy

By Timothy O'Neil-Dunne, Thursday, October 19, 2006