09/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - European airlines are not at all happy about the idea of imposing a tax on aviation fuel to increase development aid (see EUROPE of 8 February, p. 6, particularly on the words of Ecofin Council President Jean-Claude Juncker, who said he wanted to “advance these proposals” which could be discussed by the Ecofin Council as early as 17 February).. Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus, Secretary General of the Association of European Airlines commented, according to the Financial Times: “Of course we applaud humanitarian initiatives, but why target the airlines? Our industry is in the midst of a fundamental crisis. Our members are laying off staff (…) only to be once again confronted with a measure designed to increase our costs”. In his view, said the Financial Times, if governments really want to help developing countries, “they would be asking themselves how they could encourage, and not discourage, travel and tourism into these regions”.