TUI fears retaliation following court ruling
TUI Travel says it is concerned that it will become the victim of retaliatory action by countries whose airlines are forced to join the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme next month.
Following a European Court of Justice ruling that the trading scheme will apply to all airlines from January 1, TUI issued a statement urging member states to ensure EU carriers, including its wholly-owned Thomson Airways, are not discriminated against.
The European court ruled that all international airlines must pay for any carbon dioxide emissions on flights that take off or land in any EU country from January 1. Several countries including the US, China and Russia had opposed the step and threatened action against the EU if it went ahead with the proposal.
TUI head of regulatory affairs Eddie Redfern said the operator supports aviation's inclusion in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), but he added: "We are concerned by the number of countries that are opposed to the scheme and we are also concerned there may be retaliatory action by those opposed to the EU ETS.
"We therefore call upon Member States to ensure that EU airlines are not discriminated against by the creation of an un-level playing field."
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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