The European Regions Airline Association General Assembly concludes today at Estoril Congress Centre with 55 airline members and 220 businesses attending.
Discussions focused on regulatory burdens including passenger rights and EU sustainability mandates for lower-emission aircraft by 2035.
Regional carriers operate 1,800 aircraft on 2,000 routes carrying 100m passengers annually contributing €15 billion to the economy.
The ReFuelEU initiative requires 2pc sustainable aviation fuel in 2025 rising to 70pc by 2050 with initial costs up to €50m per small operator.
Delegates approved a €5m 2026 budget for advocacy on competition, slots and carbon offsets under the €25 billion Connecting Europe Facility.
Montserrat Barriga shared “The situation could soon put some regional operators out of business.”
