Ryanair eyes aggressive expansion in Ukraine, banks on migrant workers

Ryanair is planning aggressive expansion in Ukraine if the country joins the European Union's Open Skies deregulated aviation market in the coming months, Group Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said on Thursday (16 September).

EU removes US, Western Balkan countries from COVID safe list for non-essential travel

The European Union on Monday (30 August) recommended that its member states reimpose travel restrictions on US tourists over rising covid infections in the country.

Critics wary of Ryanair scheme to ‘fully’ offset flight emissions

Irish budget airline Ryanair will soon roll out a new “carbon calculator” the company says will allow customers to fully offset their flight emissions – a claim that has been met with scepticism by climate campaigners.

EU green jet fuel proposal shuns crop-based biofuels, focuses on next generation

Proposed EU legislation aimed at cutting flight emissions by ramping up the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) has excluded the use of first-generation biofuels, arguing they bring "limited environmental benefits".

Italy reaches deal with EU for launch of Alitalia successor ITA

Italy has reached a deal with the European Commission over the launch of carrier Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA), which will replace the loss-making, state-owned Alitalia, the Treasury said in a statement.

EU targets airlines in climate policy shakeup

Airlines may lose a tax break on jet fuel that has drawn fire from environmentalists, while having to use more non-petroleum alternatives and pay a bigger emissions bill, under major proposals to make Europe the "first climate-neutral continent".

A majority of Europeans favour a tax on jet fuel

A recent survey suggests that Europeans believe airlines should be required to pay tax on aviation fuel. The European Commission should heed the public and not the aviation lobby, writes Ciarán Cuffe.

Rolls-Royce partners with Shell in sustainable aviation fuel push

British engineering company Rolls-Royce has said it will partner with oil company Shell to work on the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in line with both firms' plans to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Air passenger rights ‘not protected’ during pandemic, EU auditors say

European airline passenger rights, which include carriers' legal obligation to pay refunds for cancelled flights, have not been safeguarded during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an EU report released on Tuesday (29 June).

Behind Airbus-Boeing truce lies a common rival: China

While the United States and Europe waged a 17-year trade battle over subsidies to Boeing and Airbus, China poured money into its own commercial aircraft to take on the Western aviation duopoly.

Parliament on collision course with EU member states over airspace reform

The European Parliament’s recently agreed position on reforming Europe's airspace backs a number of items rejected by EU countries, setting up a showdown between MEPs and member states over the Single European Sky initiative 2+ (SES).

EU’s air traffic reform plan draws fire from airlines

Global airlines have criticised the European Union's recently agreed position on air traffic management reform, arguing it hampers much-needed improvements to Europe’s sclerotic air transport system.

Airbus, Air France want EU green funds used for jet incentives

Airbus and Air France-KLM have urged policymakers to use EU-backed green stimulus funds to support aircraft sales, according to documents released on Thursday (10 June) by InfluenceMap, an investor-led climate lobbying watchdog.

Airbus tells EU hydrogen won’t be widely used in planes before 2050

Most airliners will rely on traditional jet engines until at least 2050, with the introduction of zero-emissions hydrogen limited to regional and short-range planes, Airbus told European Union officials in a briefing released on Thursday (10 June).

Danish air force acquires two electric planes

The Danish air force will acquire two light electric planes, the defence ministry announced Thursday in what it said was a world first for a military force and part of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

European air lobbies fear summer chaos at airports

A year after the coronavirus pandemic emptied airports, air travel associations fear chaos during Europe's summer holiday season as travellers could wait hours before boarding planes due to health checks.

Protecting European airlines: lessons from the current crisis

EU member states must learn from the global aviation crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. One such lesson is that the focus placed on internal market rules is crippling the competitiveness of our airlines, argues Pedro Nuno Santos.

Emissions soar as airlines reroute to avoid Belarusian airspace

Detours taken by airlines to avoid entering Belarusian airspace following the forced landing of a Ryanair jet are responsible for around an extra 250,000 kg of CO2 emissions per day, air traffic management estimates show.

UN aviation body to meet over Belarus plane diversion

The UN civil aviation agency will hold an urgent meeting to discuss Belarus after Western powers on the UN Security Council called for the body to investigate Minsk's diversion of a European flight and arrest of a dissident.

France cancels Moscow flight as Russia snubs Belarus bypass

Air France cancelled a Paris-Moscow flight on Wednesday (26 May) after Russia failed to approve a new route bypassing Belarus, the airline said. The French carrier, part of Air France-KLM, scrapped flight AF1154 “for operational reasons linked to the bypassing...

Global aviation stunned by Belarus jetliner diversion

The United Nations’ aviation agency said it was “strongly concerned” by the apparent forced landing of a Ryanair jetliner in Belarus, as global airlines called for an investigation into Sunday’s rare incident.