At an Airlines for Europe summit in Brussels on March 20, Europe's leading airlines called for inspiration from measures taken in the USA to stimulate the production of non-fossil fuels (FF) on the Old Continent, just a few months before the elections.

In the name of the fight against climate change, last year the European Union imposed gradual obligations to incorporate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) into kerosene for aircraft departing from the EU.

The ReFuelEU text provides for a 2% SAF incorporation rate in 2025, 6% in 2030 and up to 70% in 2050.

But according to Airlines for Europe (A4E), which brings together the continent's biggest airline groups (Ryanair, Lufthansa, IAG, Air France-KLM, easyJet...), SAF production in Europe is not only in its infancy, but also lagging far behind projects launched in the USA and supported by the massive Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Inspired by the United States

"In the United States, SAF production benefits from strong incentives, and we need these kinds of solutions in Europe," pleaded Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr at an A4E summit in Brussels.

"Today, 90% of SAF investments are in the United States", remarked Luis Gallego, CEO of IAG (British Airways, Iberia...). Faced with mandate deadlines, "we won't have enough SAF to meet them, and we don't see any plants being built", he lamented.

All the group's CEOs, from Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary to Air France-KLM CEO Benjamin Smith, were present at the meeting, which was designed to present the air transport sector's grievances to the future European Commission following the elections at the beginning of June, with the leitmotiv of preserving their competitiveness in a globalized sector.

A4E also reiterated on Wednesday its long-standing demand for a fundamental reform of air traffic control ("Single European Sky"), which it believes would deliver substantial time and fuel savings.

La rédaction (avec AFP)