In a crossover interview with the daily Les Echos and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the bosses of Air France and Lufthansa, Ben Smith and Carsten Spohr, are issuing a warning to Brussels. In their view, the future of European air transport is threatened by foreign competition favoured by an unbalanced regulatory framework. Their message is clear: a "level playing field" is needed to prevent the marginalisation of European airlines.
This warning is backed up by eloquent figures. Over 50 % of long-haul traffic to and from Europe is now carried by non-European airlines.
Unbearable competition from Gulf carriers and Turkish Airlines
Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines have all become key players in European skies, according to the two CEOs, taking the lion's share. This situation can be explained by the support provided by their respective governments.
And above all because they are free from the constraints imposed on European carriers. " The European Union is an open market, but many of our competitors are not "says Ben Smith. This asymmetry, they add, threatens not only the competitiveness of Air France-KLM and Lufthansa, but also the 12 million jobs linked to the European airline sector.
For Carsten Spohr, the issue goes beyond the simple economic dimension. It is a question of the continent's sovereignty. " We already cannot guarantee our defence or our energy independence. Let us at least strive to remain connected to world markets by our own means. "he stresses. The head of Lufthansa fears that by opening up its skies without compensation, Europe will lose control of its strategic routes.
The two CEOs draw a harsh conclusion. In twenty years, European airlines have made little progress, while their rivals have exploded. Air France's long-haul capacity has increased by just 14 % since 2005, and Lufthansa's by 16 %. It has even fallen by 1% at British Airways. This compares with an increase of 651 % for Turkish Airlines, 3571 % for Emirates and 914 % for Qatar Airways. This expansion, facilitated by virtually unlimited access to the European market, has drawn passengers and jobs away from the continent.
During the interview, Carsten Spohr notes, for example, that over the last 25 years, a significant number of flights to South East Asia have disappeared". While the dynamics of these markets would justify more and more direct connections, traffic growth is essentially being absorbed by subsidised hubs outside Europe." he analyses.
The two leaders are also hard on the Gulf airlines. They are even questioning the EU's allocation of traffic rights. " There is plenty to wonder about. As far as the open skies agreement with Qatar is concerned, suspicions of corruption are common knowledge".says Ben Smith in the interview.
Impose a universal carbon tax
Ben Smith and Carsten Spohr also denounce several regulatory distortions. Firstly, the obligation for European carriers to incorporate a proportion of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on their flights, which their competitors based in Doha, Istanbul or Dubai do not have to do.
They are therefore proposing a universal carbon tax. Each passenger leaving Europe would pay according to the final distance travelled, regardless of the airline used. The funds would be used to finance the FAS, ensuring fairness and environmental efficiency.
Another disadvantage is the ban on overflying Russia, which lengthens journeys to Asia and increases costs, while Chinese airlines continue to use these routes. Carsten Spohr hopes that Brussels will follow the US ban on Chinese airlines flying over Russia.
Finally, the two bosses are calling for consolidation in the European sector. They believe that EU competition rules are too rigid and that merger approval procedures take too long. " Europe needs three major groups capable of competing with the American and Chinese giants "insists Ben Smith.
If Brussels fails to act quickly, Europe runs the risk of ceding control of its skies once and for all to other...
