In recent years the European Union has zapped its air carriers. It has introduced over-the-top passenger rights legislation and has delayed and long-routed flights with its jigsaw-puzzle air traffic management system. And it has overcharged airlines for the privilege.
Meanwhile, individual EU member governments have been unable to resist easy revenues from stinging passenger departure taxes, and next year Europe's airlines will be uniquely required to prepare for an emissions trading scheme.
Then, in April, the elements hit carriers with the first volcanic ash cloud ever to have contaminated an area of high-density traffic. Beyond suffering losses from inevitable flight cancellations, the EU has made the continent's airlines pick up the tab for all the expenses of all the travellers that were trapped.
But lo, what have we here? The newly created "European Aviation Platform". Is this assembly of air transport industry experts summoned by the European Commission a sign that the staggering losses to the EU's economy during that chaotic week alerted officials to aviation's value in the community?
It would be nice to think so. But waking up the EC's officials is insufficient. It was the European Parliament's politicians who created the crassly populist passenger rights charter. They are quite capable of ignoring the economy in their quest for publicity and votes.
Source: Flight International
