Brussels has given European governments a state aid go-ahead to compensate their airlines and airports for volcanic ash cloud-related losses, but industry leaders fear little assistance will be forthcoming from cash-strapped national governments.
Measures put forward by European Union transport commissioner Siim Kallas will allow member states to pay compensation for direct losses associated with the ash cloud crisis that closed European airspace for six days in April, in the same way that they did after the closure of US airspace following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks.
However, Olivier Jankovec, head of airports group ACI Europe, says that while member state governments were "calling the European Commission to ask how they could compensate their airlines" after 9/11, none are showing leadership in the ash cloud crisis. He says: "This time no government has called the Commission because they all have tight budgets. My fear is that not many will get compensation for this."
Jankovec's view is shared by Andrew Clarke, air transport policy adviser at the European Regions Airline Association. Clarke says: "The fact that states are permitted to pay out under European law doesn't mean they will."
Clarke adds that the ERAA has asked the EC to provide the airline industry with centralised access to existing EU emergency funds instead of relying on individual member states for compensation, but has so far received no response.
Source: Flight International
