Brussels, 03/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has acknowledged that aviation is suffering from the recession in Spain and the United Kingdom, and has criticised the climbing taxes on aviation that come as a blow to “the goose that lays the golden eggs”. Nonetheless, IATA is delighted by the fact that passenger air traffic is still enjoying growth in Europe and across the world. Freight, too, is on the rise albeit less so as it is down in Europe. European airlines are said to have known the strongest rise in international passenger traffic between March 2011 and 2012, with demand of over 8.8%. Freight, on the other hand, was down by 1.9% in comparison with last year.
IATA states it is particularly concerned by the recession that is affecting Spain and the United Kingdom, and by the subsequent increases on aviation tax that those countries have introduced. The tax on air passenger travel has increased by 8% in Britain. The airports of Madrid and Barcelona are contemplating a 50% increase in charges. “The goose that lays the golden eggs can only take so many knocks before she fails to produce. Even in the best of times, increasing the cost of connectivity dents competitiveness. When the economy is weak, it puts at risk aviation's ability to create jobs and growth. And in a recession, it is economic nonsense”, said IATA Director General Tony Tyler. (MD/transl.jl)