Ryanair said on Thursday, the 21st of September, that it was not worried about the European Union (EU) introducing minimum pricing or mandatory restrictions on flights, saying that such restrictions would deny rights to lower income earners, calling restrictions “politically impossible”, reports Reuters.
The remarks follow French Transport Minister Clement Beaune’s announcement on Tuesday, the 19th of September, that he is looking forward to receive support from other EU countries for minimum pricing on flights to reduce the aviation industry’s impact on climate.
Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson said that he does not think it is possible to introduce an EU-wide minimum price on flights or a limit to air travel in the next five to ten years, stressing that
air travel is essential for a variety of needs,
not just holiday travel, arguing that people rely on being able to get to their desired destination quickly. He stressed that solutions such as minimum prices or bans only say that people in a more challenging economic situation can’t travel.
EU officials have told Reuters that some countries, including the Netherlands and Belgium, support the French proposal. However, France could
face difficulties in gaining support from other EU member states,
given that some EU countries, particularly island states, are heavily dependent on air transport and some regions benefit from a tourism industry that thrives on cheap flights.
Ryanair, Europe’s largest low-cost airline, believes the aviation industry should achieve net zero carbon emissions by promoting sustainable aviation fuels and using larger, quieter aircraft, Eddie Wilson said, adding that this cannot be achieved “overnight”.
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