Airline group Airlines for Europe (A4E) has called on the European Union (EU) to implement a series of temporary measures to help carriers manage the impact of the Middle East conflict.
A4E, which has 16 airline members representing 80% of European air traffic, has called on the EU to implement monitoring of jet fuel availability and the provision of legal clarity on existing legislation.
The airline group’s managing director Ourania Georgoutsakou said: “These are temporary measures to weather us through the current situation, plus more long-term planning to be prepared for the future.”
A4E said that it would like the EU to confirm that closures of airspace due to conflict and resulting operational effects will be considered as justified non-use of slots for the purpose of protection of slots.
It would also like the EU to confirm that fuel supply shortages qualify for justified non-use of slots limited to the affected airport and the period of the shortage.
Airlines would also like a relaxation of the anti-tankering obligation that requires airlines to uplift 90% of fuel from EU airports, the temporary suspension of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), a cap and reduction of the cost of ETS to tackle price volatility, a temporary full rebate on SAF, under the ETS SAF allowances, and allow the import and use of Jet A keresone into the EU.
A4E would also like to see the temporary scrapping of aviation taxes where applicable to help to preserve connectivity, maintain competitiveness and reduce costs in the face of rising fuel prices.
The group also recommended some long-term changes to help avoid future issues in case of fuel shortages.
This includes the targeted amendment of the Oil Stocks Directive to introduce kerosene provisions; push for collective EU purchasing of kerosene to mitigate kerosene supply issues and to introduce targeted refinery obligations to safeguard jet fuel supply.
Earlier this week, Air Cargo News reported that airport association Airports Council International (ACI) Europe had written to the EU to warn that airports could start running out of jet fuel in the coming three weeks unless the Strait of Hormuz opens soon.
ACI called for the creation of an EU monitoring platform to help coordinate the response and map availability.
The organisation would also like to see imports from alternative locations and joint procurement across member states.
The rising cost of jet fuel is also expected to contribute to increases in airfreight rates over the coming weeks as transport operations become more expensive.
