12/12/2017 (Agence Europe) – In a press release on Monday 11 December, the Europe Airports Council International (ACI) provided a response to Airlines for Europe (A4E) with regard to the revision of the directive on airport charges (see EUROPE 11922). ACI Europe believes the main priority in the EU Aviation Strategy should be to develop aviation connectivity by signing aviation agreements with third countries or revising regulation 868/2004 (see EUROPE 11804) and that A4E does not support this objective. Olivier Jankovec, the director-general of ACI EUROPE also considers that the request made by A4E to lower airport charges is simply dictated by the interests of the airlines and that competition between the airlines is the only way of really bringing down ticket prices to benefit consumers. (LT)