Passengers look at a screen at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), in Schoenefeld near Berlin, Germany, July 7, 2022. REUTERS/Michele Tantussi/File photo Acquire Licensing Rights
Nov 14 (Reuters) – Air fares in Europe are “rising way above inflation,” Airports Council International (ACI) Europe said on Tuesday, rebutting statements from airline lobby group IATA.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) – which represents some 300 airlines including Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) and SAS (SAS.ST) – had said that while air fares were rising below inflation, charges from airport operators have grown above it.
“While IATA states that air fares in Europe only increased by +16% as of June this year compared to 2019, independent and authoritative data from RDC shows such increase actually standing at +38% over the peak Summer months,” the trade association representing European airports said in a statement.
This rising trend continued into October, ACI said, adding fares were up 47% when booked three months in advance.
The Financial Times had reported in early November that the European Union was pressuring airlines over soaring fares.
Reporting by Olivier Sorgho; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Emelia Sithole-Matarise
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
