EU: Airlines join forces to push Europe to help lower their costs

Europe’s five largest airlines set aside their differences on Wednesday to urge the European Union to do more to lower airport costs and taxes.

The airlines urged the European Commission – the EU executive – to lower security and airport charges, remove passenger and “unreasonable” environmental taxes and ensure air-traffic control strikes did not do too much damage to their business.

The initiative brought together the chief executives of Air France-KLM, Lufthansa, British Airways owner International Airlines Group and low-cost airlines Ryanair and Easyjet.

“It’s a historic day for European aviation because it’s the first time the five of us have met together,” said Michael O’Leary, chief executive of budget airline Ryanair , at a press conference in Brussels.

The EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc is due to unveil a series of measures later this year to boost the competitiveness of the aviation sector.

Full content: The Wall Street Journal

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