Aviation
Madrid and Brussels disagree over Iberia’s Spanish ownership after Brexit
Madrid is struggling to convince the European Commission about the Spanish ownership of Iberia, as it tries to preserve the air carrier's license to operate intra-EU flights after Brexit without altering the company's structure.
EU ready to consider extra time for UK airlines in case of no-deal Brexit
The EU would not immediately ground intra-EU flights operated by British airlines after 29 March in case the UK nosedives out of the bloc with no deal, as it could set a new deadline for air carriers to reach a majority of EU ownership to maintain their operating licences.
Brussels cuts Iberia and Aer Lingus’s wings to fly in EU after Brexit
European flag carriers Iberia and Aer Lingus would no longer be allowed to fly within Spain and Ireland, their member states’ territories, or to any other EU airport if UK leaves the EU without agreement in less than 100 days.
Ryanair CEO warns hard Brexit will ground flights
Ryanair's chief executive stepped up his warning about the risk of flights between Britain and Europe being grounded for days in the wake of Britain's exit from the European Union next March, saying there had been no assurances on the issue.
British Airways hacking: Data breach strikes thousands of customers
A highly coordinated cyber attack has hit the UK's largest airline, British Airways, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of customers, with masses of financial and personal data stolen by hackers in what BA boss Alex Cruz called "a very sophisticated, malicious attack."
Ryanair laments ‘unnecessary’ strike, as pilots aim to ‘strengthen our rights’
Ryanair pilots in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden are staging a 24-hour strike on Friday (August 10) in one of the most severe examples of strike action in the company’s history. The low-cost carrier has branded the action "unjustified" and "unnecessary".
Airlines lodge EU complaint over French strikes
British Airways-owner IAG, easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air on Tuesday (24 July) filed a complaint to the EU over what they say is France's failure to tackle strikes by air traffic controllers.
The UN is failing on all fronts to tackle the climate impact of flying
ICAO's proposed offsetting scheme for aviation emissions, known as CORSIA, will cover a mere 6% of projected CO2 emissions accumulated to 2050, writes Bill Hemmings, saying CORSIA fails the Paris Agreement test miserably.
Germany, France agree main needs of new joint fighter programme
Germany and France have agreed on the central requirements for a new fighter jet to replace Eurofighter Typhoon and Rafale warplanes beginning in 2040, German military sources said.
Airlines must compensate for wildcat strike delays, says EU court
Airlines have to pay compensation to passengers for delays caused by wildcat strikes that result from management decisions, the European Union's top court said on Tuesday (17 April).
EU carbon market emissions rise for first time in 7 years in 2017
Emissions regulated under Europe's carbon market rose for the first time in seven years in 2017 due to stronger industrial output, data published on Tuesday (3 April) by the European Commission and examined by carbon analysts showed.
Half of European flights at risk of delay after computer failure
European air travellers faced mass disruption on Tuesday (3 April) with up to half of all flights delayed after the system that manages air traffic for the continent broke down.
EU budget: Where’s the climate and environment?
Discussions on the EU's post-2020 accounts have begun. But it seems like climate, energy and the environment itself have already been forgotten in the talks, warns Damien Demailly.
Ryanair right to warn on flights as British Airways waits for Brexit Harry Potter
UK-based airlines will face serious problems sorting out their flying rights when the UK leaves the Single Market and Customs Union, writes Denis McShane.
To help fix EU budget, end aviation’s tax break
The European Commission’s move to make it administratively easier to calculate and charge VAT on passenger transport is welcome and long overdue, writes Bill Hemmings. But instead of abolishing VAT breaks for airline tickets, the EU plan will make a weekend trip treated the same as “necessities” such as foodstuffs, or pharmaceutical products, he warns.
UK underestimating ‘serious disruption’ risk to flights post-Brexit, warns Ryanair
The United Kingdom is underestimating the risk of "serious disruption" to flights when it leaves the European Union, Irish airline Ryanair has warned as it announced that its quarterly net profit had risen by 12% despite a cancellations crisis in 2017.
Aviation industry prepares for bumpy Brexit ride
Gearing up for a chaotic Brexit, UK's aviation, generating an annual turnover of £22 billion (€25 bn) per year, is preparing for the worst. It is also one of the sectors most reliant on regulation and, as a consequence, vulnerable to a chaotic Brexit, with the UK potentially excluded from the Single European Sky and SESAR (Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research) programme.
EU could dash hopes for UK to remain in aviation safety agency
Britain could be excluded from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) after it quits the EU, raising the prospect of increased certification costs for airlines and manufacturers and dashing London's hopes of keeping its membership.
E-fuels may be an option for aviation but not road transport, study finds
Liquid E-fuels made from renewable power, the latest buzzword among proponents of alternative fuels, are not the answer to Europe's quest to decarbonise transport because their production is still inefficient and costly, according to a new study being published today (1 December).
‘We can live with this’: How Airbus was allowed to write its own climate rules
E-mail exchanges between the European Commission and Airbus show how the European aircraft manufacturer was offered privileged access to the EU decision-making process, allowing it to write its own environmental rules, writes Andrew Murphy.
Making airplanes cleaner: Who should decide?
It is essential that the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Europe retain the power to have the final say on regulating aircraft and the ability, with parliamentary oversight, to adjust future European regulations as needed to changing circumstances, writes Bill Hemmings.
EU agrees on Brexit-proof emissions trading amendment
EU lawmakers and member states agreed on Wednesday (18 October) a measure to guard the carbon market in case of a breakdown in Brexit talks as well as extending the exemption of international flights from the bloc's charges for carbon emissions until the end of 2023.
Airbus exec.: EU ‘bonus’ for aviation biofuels may be too little
The European Commission’s proposal to incentivise the production of biofuels for aircraft with a 20% “multiplier” goes in the right direction, says Thierry Nowaczyk from Airbus. The question is whether this is enough to fill the price gap with fossil-based kerosene, he told EURACTIV.com in an interview.