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AIRE
 

 

Mr Filip CORNELIS
Director Air Transport
DG MOVE
European Commission
Demotstraat 24
1040 Brussels
Belgium

Brussels 17th March 2020

 

Subject: COVID-19 rescue measures; AIRE priorities

Dear Mr Cornelis,

I refer to the conference call that the European Commission (DGMOVE) organised yesterday with the stakeholders’ associations to discuss operational restrictions and rescue measures.

I would like to recall that it is vital to address airlines’ rescue in priority since a collapse of the airline sector would trigger a collapse of its service providers.

In this respect, AIRE considers that the following priorities for operational and financial needs should be taken into account:

    • Operational needs:
      • States must harmonise their approach to restrictions. Today some states are banning flights and other are banning passengers leaving to airlines the decision to fly or not. Airlines are better protected in case of flight ban and this approach should be requested from states.
    • Financial needs: the utmost priority is to preserve airlines’ liquidities
      • ATC charges: deferral of payment of ANSPcharges
      • the Commission and INEA to redirect European funds
      • States to facilitate bridge loans, credit lines, as well as financial support to airlines
      • States to cancel all pax/green taxes as well as suspend the airlines’ EU ETS obligations (i.e. deferral of obligation to surrender EUAA allowances)

As a second step and to facilitate the recovery, States to decide on a reduction of 50% of the ATC unit rate

Yours sincerely,

Sylviane Lust
Director General