First-class ticket fall pushes airlines into the red

01 October 2012 11:00

First-class ticket fall pushes airlines into the red
First-class ticket fall pushes airlines into the red

European carriers are expected to post combined losses of around £750 million this year, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicted today, as a fall in the number of first-class and business-class passengers is likely to push European airlines into the red.

IATA said that in July, on the lucrative North Atlantic routes, first-class and business-class travel, known as premium travel, was 2.4% down on the same time last year.

It added that within Europe in July 2012 premium travel was down 3.5%.

IATA's forecast for Europe will intensify UK airlines' call for a reduction or scrapping of the UK's Air Passenger Duty (APD) airport departure tax which has increased steadily since its introduction in 1994.

Speaking in Singapore today, IATA director general and chief executive Tony Tyler said: "Aviation has an important role to play as the global economy struggles. Growth is the only way forward and a healthy aviation industry can stimulate that - linking stagnating developed economies to robust emerging markets.

"Aviation connectivity spurs growth at both ends. That is why it is important for governments to ensure aviation's ability to be a catalyst for growth is not constrained.

"Unfortunately, in many parts of the world, it is an uphill struggle with high taxes, onerous regulation and insufficient infrastructure. All of this stunts industry growth to the detriment of the world economy."