European governments need to come up with “unashamedly pro-aviation policies” to ward off “unprecedented competition” from emerging rivals in the Middle East and Asia, the UK Airport Operators Association (AOA) has claimed.Responding to news from ACI Europe that EU airport passenger traffic has fallen into recerssion, the AOA said “eye-wateringly high levels” of Air Passenger Duty in the UK was harming passenger numbers.The news from ACI Europe was compounded by the fact that, during the same month, freight traffic among European airports also declined by 2.2%, while aircraft movements declined by 1.5%.Darren Caplan, CEO of the AOA, said: “For the first time in three years, more than half of Europe’s airports are experiencing a decline in passenger traffic.“These figures just go to show how fragile the aviation industry is across many parts of the continent, and how national governments should be doing everything in their power to promote growth in the sector.“Within the UK, the best way they can do this is to put an end to the eye-wateringly high levels of Air Passenger Duty (APD), which are acting as a deterrent to visitors and businesses wanting to come to the UK, and costing thousands of jobs.“The aviation sector in Europe is facing unprecedented competition from emerging rivals in the Middle East and Asia.“We need to respond to this challenge with unashamedly pro-aviation policies which will promote growth and jobs in the sector, and encourage people to travel to our shores. It is a shame that George Osborne’s Autumn Statement – whilst right to promote the importance of infrastructure to UK plc – failed to mention aviation at all, yet roads, the underground and other infrastructure sectors were covered comprehensively.“We urge the Chancellor to be more positive about aviation in the months to come.”ACI Europe represents more than 400 airports in 46 European countries. Source: airportworld
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