What are Europe’s key aviation issues and priorities as we approach our flagship Wings of Change Europe conference in November? An interview with IATA’s Regional Vice President for Europe.
Wings of Change Europe is taking place on 20-21 November in Rome. What do you expect from this edition?
We look forward to another successful event. This year, WOCE is kindly hosted by ITA Airways in the eternal city, a city and a country heavily dependent on aviation, tourism, and connectivity. The overarching theme of this fifth edition is European Competitiveness, which has become an even greater priority in our region, as symbolized by the Draghi report published early September. We will dive into a wide array of critical topics, including geopolitics, taxation, ground and air operations, sustainability, as well as the increasing importance of data, digitalization, and innovation. We have another fantastic lineup of speakers and delegates, and count yet again on the presence of key government officials and regulators. A special thanks to Filip Cornelis Director of Aviation at DG MOVE for agreeing to give a keynote and lend his wisdom to one of the panels. I firmly believe that collaboration between industry and regulators is essential to maximize aviation’s many benefits to Europe, and to deliver on our Fly Net Zero 2050 commitment.
2024 has been referred to as “Election Year”; how has this affected aviation around Europe?
Geopolitics always plays an important role, as we have seen with two ongoing major conflicts are taking place, which are affecting us with airspace closures, and other restrictions. However, it is critical that civil aviation be protected at all costs no matter the gravity of the situation.
In parallel to these wars, various elections took place in many locations around the planet this year, and that includes in the UK, France, India and the United States to name but a few. We have witnessed a shift to more extreme parties on both the right and the left. One trend that might impact on aviation is a renewed political focus on jobs, competitiveness and prosperity which for some governments has brought conflict with ‘green’ priorities. At this stage, it is still too early to determine the effects these results will have on aviation, but we will need to continue engaging with Governments and working closely together. At WOCE, we’ve asked Henry Wilkinson, Head of SIAS, to take us through some of these key global developments.
One thing is sure, however, and that’s the need and desire of people to travel, as the latest numbers more than suggest, and the continued growth of cargo.
Taxation has always existed, but are you witnessing any significant changes in that area lately?
Aviation must pay its fair share of taxes, but we oppose taxes on passengers, for example, as these are seldom reinvested back into the industry and are usually a short-sighted cash grab by governments that ultimately cause greater harm to connectivity and the economy. If passengers must be taxed, let the money be used for supporting sustainability projects such as Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), to ensure the industry can deliver on its carbon net zero commitments. We will dedicate a full stream to discussing taxation in this year’s Wings of Change, including a keynote from Pascal Saint-Amans, former Director of the Center of Tax Policy and Administration at the OECD. The higher taxes planned for France, Germany, and the United Kingdom threaten to further hamper Europe’s aviation competitiveness and weaken the region versus other markets. Sweden, which announced it will abolish the country’s aviation tax as of 1st of July 2025, represents a silver lining, and an example to follow.
Fly net zero by 2050 is a critical issue for the industry. What is the general sentiment as we approach the 25-year countdown?
25 years may seem far away but given the huge task we have to decarbonize, we are not wasting a minute of time. Airlines are doing a lot, but to get to us this ambitious target, governments must accompany us every step of the way. We need incentives and investment to ensure we reach our objectives, and I can only encourage governments to follow the enhanced policy and finance net zero roadmaps we have put together to create the necessary framework and conditions that will enable emissions to be reduced as rapidly as possible. We have sessions on both these roadmaps planned at WOCE.
CO2 emissions is a critical component of sustainability but not the only one. Noise is also high on the agenda in Europe and too many governments have lost sight of the importance of respecting the Balanced Approach, as we’ve seen through the intention to cut flights at Brussels and Amsterdam airports. Governments need to understand the balance between mitigating local community concerns and protecting wider national benefits. Cutting flights because of noise, or because of a totally unjustified passenger cap such as at Dublin, reduces connectivity, competitiveness, and threatens the local and extended economy.
You recently traveled to Central Asia. Are the aviation issues you encountered and discussed there much different than in the rest of the Region?
My meetings in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan confirmed the aviation potential of this particular region. Central Asia leads the growth in traffic in all of Asia, and tourism represents one of the many opportunities, especially for Uzbekistan. During my visit, I was able to discuss enhancing airport infrastructure and the creation of a national master plan for airports, as well as addressing the challenges of transitioning to new aviation fuels and exploring the production of SAF. Together with the Kazakh Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Committee, we organized a Regional Seminar on Aviation Safety and Sustainable Development for representatives of aviation authorities and industry specialists, focusing on flight safety, climate policy, and the region’s sustainable development.
