Germany’s increased air passenger tax will hamper the aviation industry’s efforts to decarbonise, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned.
The German government, this week, increased passenger taxes by 19% – adding €15.53-€70.83 to a person’s flight fares, depending on the route.
IATA said “weakening the German air transport industry with this tax makes it harder for airlines to invest in SAF”, in a more fuel-efficient fleet and other decarbonisation efforts.
“Furthermore, the German government appears sympathetic to the European Taxation Directive which would add a tax on jet fuel,” IATA said.
IATA director general, Willie Walsh, said: “The German government appears to have an unhealthy obsession with aviation taxes. On top of increasing the passenger tax, it is also in favor of a European jet fuel tax which will make it even more expensive to do business in Germany or for families to go on holiday.”
“Our survey of air travellers in Germany shows deep scepticism about government claims for ‘green taxes’. 75% agreed with the statement “Taxation is not the way to make aviation sustainable” and 72% agreed that “Green taxes are just government greenwashing”. Time and again, we see taxation that was supposed to help the industry decarbonise be stolen and then lost in the general budget. And money taken out of the industry means that it has less money to invest in other decarbonisation measures.”
