Brussels: ACI EUROPE and A4E — the key industry bodies representing Europe’s airports and airlines — today joined global industry voices in pushing back against misguided recommendations from the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force to target air transport in its aim to raise funds for international development.

Olivier Jankovec, ACI EUROPE Director General said: “Taxing aviation equals socio‑economic self‑harm and is a counterproductive measure to both development and climate action — we cannot mince our words in decrying this new proposal. It ignores the fact that what precisely sets aviation apart from other sectors is its ability to support wider economic activity along with a wide range of positive societal outcomes — from poverty reduction to gender equality and quality education. It will also hamper progress towards our shared net zero goal by diverting much needed funding away from the sector. Targeting air connectivity by treating aviation as cash cow is another symptom of government short‑sightedness.” 

Ourania Georgoutsakou, Managing Director at A4E said: “European airlines already collect multiple local, national and international taxes and levies and pay for the environmental impact of flying, be it under the EU ETS or with the significant investments in new aircraft and sustainable aviation fuel. An additional levy on premium passengers  will only further unlevel the playing field, will divert much‑needed funds for the sector’s transition to net zero and will ultimately increase the cost of flying for all.”

The proposed Global Solidarity Levy on air travel unfairly singles out aviation and ignores the crucial role that air connectivity plays in global development, cohesion, and prosperity — even more so for developing states. Just in Europe, every 10% increase in air connectivity yields a 0.5% gain in GDP per capita, while also being associated with ‑14% in poverty, +9% in quality education, +19% in gender equality and +8.5% in research & development.

With European aviation committed to achieving net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050, the sector faces an estimated €1.3 trillion in required investments. Redirecting potential capital from the green transformation to tax coffers undermines this effort. Rather than supporting aviation’s decarbonisation agenda, the levy penalises it — a contradiction that makes climate and development goals harder, not easier, to reach.