Airlines 2022 Conference: Government officials and aviation leaders dis Continued from page 88
sustainability Carrie Harris told the conference: “SAF could deliver 50% of BA’s aviation fuel by 2050 and fulfil about 30% of our emissions reductions. “We’re 25% of the way to
securing enough SAF supply by 2030. We’ve announced five SAF plants and there will be more. But we could make faster progress if we had the right incentives. We could operate the whole fleet on SAF by 2050 but the manufacturing capacity will probably set limits on that.” Harris noted BA introduced
“the first commercial-scale use of SAF” in March, saying: “Every BA flight departing Heathrow has a tiny bit of SAF in there. The issue is scaling up.” Shell head of aviation for
Europe Ashleigh McDougal argued: “We need $1.45 trillion globally to achieve what the industry needs.” Gilthorpe described 2030
as “a pivot point” and said: “We need to know the investment pathways. This is high-risk, long-term investment. An investor needs to understand the price [of SAF] for at least a decade [ahead].” She added: “The Jet Zero
Council brings government, industry and academia together to solve the problems of reaching net zero by 2050. There are two pathways: the first is SAF, the second is zero-emission flight [using] hydrogen. “The council is not a
decision-making body. But often the government puts out a consultation and gets one answer from an airline, another from an airport, another from a fuel manufacturer. We sort that out.”
DfT confirms plan to boost the CAA’s enforcement power
The government intends to push ahead with plans to enhance the powers of the Civil Aviation Authority to take enforcement action against airlines that breach consumer rights. The Department for Transport
(DfT) consulted on reforming aviation consumer policy and protecting air passenger rights, including the enhancement of CAA powers, early this year. The government has already
granted the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) enhanced powers to rule on breaches of consumer law and impose fines. Ben Smith, aviation director at the
DfT, said: “We want to ensure there is consumer confidence in the aviation sector, particularly as we come out of Covid, to ensure consumers have confidence the products they pay for will be delivered.” He argued: “There are problems
in a small number of areas.” CAA chief executive Richard
Moriarty insisted “The CAA needs more powers in consumer redress. It can take us years to get redress against airlines and that does not make sense. Our powers are outdated compared to other regulators’.
“Just bring us into line with the
updated powers of others. I don’t see these powers being used often.” Airlines UK chief executive Tim
Alderslade suggested the industry could be relaxed about the move, saying: “I have no worries about a CAA power grab. “The CAA dealt excellently with
the issues that came up over refunds [during the pandemic].”
Aviation minister sets out stance on APD and SAF
The government has ruled out a fresh review of Air Passenger Duty (APD) but will look at enhancing consumer protection. Aviation minister Baroness Vere
rebuffed calls to reduce or re-examine APD when she addressed the Airlines 2022 conference on Monday. She told aviation leaders: “We just
looked at Air Passenger Duty, so we won’t be looking at it again.” The minister added: “The
aviation industry has benefited from not being taxed on fuel so there are benefits to it.” She called for “a grown-up
conversation” on investment in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production, saying: “Some of these SAF plants could be hugely profitable and I want to see the rewards go to the right place. “We need a conversation on
who pays for this – the industry and 86 24 NOVEMBER 2022
consumers or taxpayers?” However, she commended the
aviation industry for its commitment to becoming ‘net zero’ on carbon by 2050, telling the conference: “I wish the maritime industry had the same sort of net zero plan that aviation does.” Baroness Vere argued: “There
is work to do around consumer protection. It doesn’t feel like this is in its final place. “The sector had to rise to some
huge challenges over the summer and one of the scars is that it suffered a downer in the eyes of some travellers.
Baroness Vere of Norbiton
“One of the challenges over
the summer was with services for passengers with reduced mobility.” She noted: “European air traffic
control has also been one of the challenges. Fingers crossed for next summer if we continue to have challenges with Europe’s ATC.” Baroness Vere was appointed
aviation minister last month after a brief stint in the role in 2019. She told the conference: “I’m new
but I know something about aviation. I will always listen to you. I won’t always agree with you.” The minister promised: “We
will look at [airport] slot reform but I’m not saying there will be massive reform. “We have to do something about
the quality of ground handling . . . [and] airspace modernisation would be good on so many levels, so we will be focusing on that.”
travelweekly.co.uk
Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament
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