Michael O’Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, spoke at the Airlines for Europe conference in Brussels about the need for Europe to improve its aviation competitiveness. He confirmed that governments in Sweden and Italy now call for suspension of the EU Emissions Trading System, a position more radical than the stance taken by Airlines for Europe. He argued that the future looks positive only if Europe aligns ETS with CORSIA or abolishes it to reduce burdens on carriers.
O’Leary reiterated that sustainable aviation fuel mandates lack credibility due to insufficient production capacity. He revealed no realistic chance of meeting the 6 per cent target by 2030, so the requirements for both ETS and sustainable aviation fuel will shift to later dates, likely into the mid-2030s. He supported the principle of mandates but insisted production must become feasible first.
The Ryanair chief executive outlined the importance of a level playing field in global competition. He stated that extra costs from ETS or other measures put European airlines at a disadvantage against Gulf carriers, despite differences in labour costs. He called for removal of additional burdens to avoid widening the gap.
O’Leary repeated the pint, oft-made at the conference, that air traffic control causes most flight delays in Europe. He revealed that 90 per cent of delays stem from ATC issues rather than airline operations. He criticised proposals on passenger rights that focus on compensation instead of fixing ATC problems, including strikes and understaffing.
On passenger rights, O’Leary expressed strong opposition to rules mandating a free second cabin bag. He stated that passengers already receive a personal item and carry-on allowance, while a second bag fails to fit on many aircraft types like Boeing 737s or turboprops. He argued that such changes ignore passenger preferences and cause delays.
Michael O’Leary shared: “The future is bright, but only when Europe gets more competitive and the way to get Europe more competitive is to bring ETS in line with Corsia. You want to be very competitive, abolish the bloody thing altogether. It’s not a problem of the regulation or how you compensate the customer. Fix ATC.”
