AEA calls for aviation summit

Industry showing no signs of recovery

A stakeholder summit on the European aviation industry was today (November 17) called for by the Association of European Airlines (AEA).

The call came as the latest traffic figures from the Association showed "no sign of improvement" from the industry's "longest and deepest business downturn in its history"

The AEA, which represents Europe's leading legacy carriers, said the figures for the year were "locked-in to a trend line about 2% below last year's already dismal figures". 

But these "paled into insignificance" compared with a 15% fall in average ticket price per kilometre.

Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus, the AEA's secretary general, said the figures showed the foundations of the European aviation industry were "crumbling". 

He added:  "Portions of our industry are close to collapse - indeed, we have seen failures among premium carriers, leisure carriers, no-frills and cargo airlines.

"Some network airlines are ceasing to exist as independent entities.  Others are exiting markets that they will not re-enter.  Secondary markets are losing service. 

"Tens of thousands of people employed by or sustained by the airlines are losing their jobs."

Mr Schulte-Strathaus said European policy makers had a choice of watching the industry struggle to re-build or of building a framework which would speed recovery.

He said the Americans were a step ahead in "grasping the severity of the crisis" by already calling a stakeholder forum and setting up a committee to look at the future of the industry.

He added:  "Decision-makers must realise that a key European resource is under threat and steps must be taken - now - to act positively and decisively to create the conditions under which prosperity can be restored as quickly as possible.

"I invite the European Commission to follow the example of their US counterparts and put in place a structured dialogue with stakeholders, to create the policy which will safeguard the benefits that aviation brings to Europe's citizens and businesses."

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