Brussels, 08 April 2025 – A new study published today by Airlines for Europe (A4E) and leading global consultancy Steer reveals that EU legislative and regulatory related costs, together with inefficiencies in the EU aviation market, resulted in more than €15.5 billion of additional costs for A4E airlines in 2024.

The analysis shows that the cost of complying with European environmental, consumer protection, tax, and corporate disclosure regulations reached €9.9 billion in 2024. When combined with the cost of persistent market inefficiencies – notably the absence of a true Single European Sky – this rises to over €15.5 billion.

Without immediate action, these costs are expected to nearly double by 2030, reaching €27.6 billion annually.

These costs are harming the competitiveness of Europe’s airlines and making Europe a more expensive place to do business. Europe is fast falling out of sync with the rest of the world when it comes to the cost of doing business and the overall burden of legislation.  Other key findings of the report are:

• Regulatory costs are rising 4 times faster than traffic: 11% annual cost increase vs 4% traffic growth since 2014.
• Today the largest cost drivers are passenger rights legislation, national aviation taxes and compliance with EU ETS.
• In 2050 the EU SAF mandate’s annual cost for A4E member airlines will reach €33 billion.

“This report is a stark warning of how costs for European airlines are accelerating far faster than the number of passengers that are being carried. Ultimately this cost impacts the accessibility of air travel, Europe’s connectivity and our attractiveness as a destination for business and tourism. Europe is sobering up to today’s geopolitical and economic realities, and must now do everything it can to ensure European airlines remain a competitive force that continues to provide the vital connectivity millions of Europeans rely on,” said Ourania Georgoutsakou, Managing Director of Airlines for Europe.

“Airlines are a European success story and flying is and will remain an essential element of how we in Europe remain connected. EU and national policy makers must take action now to ensure Europeans continue to have access to affordable air travel that connects them across Europe and with the rest of the world,” she added.

ENDS

Notes to Editor

The full report, produced by Steer Davies & Gleave is available here and executive summary available here.

About A4E

Airlines for Europe (A4E) is Europe’s largest airline association. Based in Brussels, A4E works with policymakers to ensure aviation policy continues to connect Europeans with the world in a safe, competitive and sustainable manner. With a modern fleet of over 3,700 aircraft, A4E airlines carried over 771 million passengers in 2024 and served nearly 2,800 destinations across Europe and the wider world. Each year, A4E members transport more than 54 million tonnes of vital goods and equipment either by freighters or passenger aircraft.

Media Contact

Beatrice Pepe, Communications Officer

Beatrice.pepe@a4e.eu