Industry vs. Regulator – Aviation heavyweights spar in Dublin |
DUBLIN, 16 january (Reuters) – Two leading figures in aviation spoke at an industry conference in Dublin on Monday about sustainability, weather openly argued about the disruption of its port and how the war in Ukraine is affecting the skies of Europe.
The biggest in the world weather Willie Walsh, the outspoken head of the airlines trade body IATA, on stage at the Airline Economy conference in the world’s aviation finance capital Europe Joined Henrik Hololei, the Union’s top permanent transport official.
In a heavily regulated sector weather roads and others usually reserve their lobbying for discreet, closed-door meetings. But the two influential people debated in front of hundreds of financiers and brought their honest opinions to the stage.
Here are some of their highlights:
IN UKRAINE
Hololei, originally from Baltic Estonia, which was once part of the Soviet Union, has repeatedly pointed to the impact of Russia’s large-scale intervention in Ukraine and the disruption caused by the closure of Russian airspace to many Western countries.
But Walsh, Russia wanted to know what could be done to end the shutdown, which threatens to penalize some Western airlines at the expense of Chinese and other carriers that continue to fly over it.
Hololei said plainly: “Russia the war must be lost, it must be started from it. That would definitely help.”
He added that Russia it will not be “business as usual” if the airspace reopens.
“If we ever have the chance to see Russian airspace open, one thing has to disappear: the over-Siberian royalties,” he said, referring to the fees Moscow charges airlines for over-Siberian routes.
At airports
Walsh held nothing back against one of his favorite targets – airports. The airlines accuse the airports of overburdening the carriers, while the airports say they need to finance huge capital investments.
“Let’s talk briefly about the airports, the robbers there,” he said. “Their performance in 2022 was terrible and yet (Europe) Commission tends to be very soft on airports and hard on airlines.”
Hololei defended the Commission’s approach, but Walsh made a rare public concession offer did
“(Airports) have also been greatly affected by COVID, but unlike many airlines, they have received more limited support from the state.”
He added: “We have not forgotten the airports and we will continue to be strict against them.”
ABOUT CONTINUITY
Hololei, for his part, pulled no punches when he demanded that Walsh explain why aviation is seen as the environmental bad boy to the average consumer.
“In terms of public perception, what did the sector do wrong in the past to end up where it is today?” – he asked.
Walsh admitted that the industry does not manage its image well enough. “We’ve allowed those who want to find the poster child for environmental damage to choose aviation,” he said.
In SAF
Both sides kerosene gradually substitute and agreed that all parties should collaborate to increase production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to help green aviation faster.
“We shouldn’t sit back and wait for conventional oil producers to produce SAF,” Walsh said.
Hololei agreed, adding, “Otherwise, we won’t be able to achieve much of our goals.”
Reporting by Joanna Plucinska Additional by Tim Hepher report Edited by Mark Potter
Our standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
2023-01-17 08:54:40
Source – reuters
Translation“24 HOURS”