The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) General Assembly in Estoril, Portugal, has been discussing ReFuelEU’s impact on regional airlines.
ReFuelEU mandates 2pc SAF use in 2025, increasing to 70pc by 2050, but supply is concentrated at major hubs. Regional carriers face cost and compliance challenges, risking 15pc of routes by 2030 without exemptions.
ERA proposes €500m in subsidies to cover 30pc of transition costs for smaller operators.
ERA released a study titled ““Cutting emissions without cutting connections: How to make ReFuelEU work for all of Europe’s airlines“. The research shows that SAF supply concentrates at major hubs, leaving smaller airports without access and exposing remote communities to higher costs, compliance burdens, and reduced connectivity.
The three-day event at the Estoril Congress Centre is being attended by 400 participants from over 220 aviation businesses , i from ERA’s 55 airline members and airport operators.
The association is lobbying the European Commission for ReFuelEU adjustments ahead of the December review.
Montserrat Barriga, Director General of ERA shared: “Europe’s green transition cannot come at the cost of territorial regional cohesion. If ReFuelEU continues on its current path, Europe risks seeing airlines go bankrupt and losing vital air connectivity.”
