EU green taxes on short flights ‘favour rich’

RYANAIR’S chief executive has accused the European Union of favouring wealthier long-haul travellers by limiting green taxes to short-haul flights.

Michael O’leary accused the German, French and Dutch governments of blocking plans to extend a carbontrading scheme to any flight landing in the EU. Currently only airlines that fly within the EU must participate in the Emissions Trading System (ETS).

Long-haul flights, including those from the US or Asia, are exempt. The UK has operated a similar scheme of its own since Brexit. Mr O’leary said: “It is manifestly unfair that only short-haul flights within Europe are paying 100pc of environmental taxes.

“Long-haul flights continue to be exempt, despite the fact that long-haul flights account for about 6pc of passengers but [about] 54pc of CO2 emissions.

“The European Parliament, which I would not be a big fan of, has called for environmental taxation to be extended to all long-haul flights travelling to and from Europe.”

He continued: “[But] the European Council and Commission, under the influence of the Germans, the French and the Dutch, are pushing back and saying, ‘No, we want to continue to exempt the most polluting flights used by the richest people travelling to and from Europe.’ That’s what lobbying gets you in the marble halls of Brussels.”

Ryanair, Europe’s biggest airline, this week announced plans to reduce its carbon emissions by signing a deal with Shell to take sustainable aviation fuel across 200 airports.

Sustainable aviation fuel is made from waste raw materials such as used cooking oil. It is estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80pc compared with standard aviation fuel.

Many airlines offer the option to offset carbon emissions by paying an additional fee when buying a ticket.