Summary Airlines for America resisted the new EU pollutant monitoring program for flights outside Europe. The IATA also raised concerns over the program, suggesting it should be voluntary. Major European carriers oppose exemptions, saying they would weaken the credibility of the program.
Lobbying group Airlines for America (A4A) reportedly tried to convince the European Commission (EC) not to include flights to and from destinations outside Europe for its upcoming pollutant monitoring program. The group cited the uncertainty of the science and a rise in ticket prices if airlines are forced to comply. Airlines for America opposes new EU pollutant monitoring As reported by The Guardian , minutes of a meeting between A4A representatives and the European Commission’s climate team in May show that A4A argued against the inclusion of non-European flights in the EU's upcoming emissions reporting scheme.
Under this proposal, airlines are required to monitor, report and verify levels of non-CO2 pollutants, such as nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide, applicable to European flights from January 2025 before extending to non-European routes in 2027. The meeting was not disclosed on the EU transparency register and only discovered via freedom of information requests. It was attended by A4A and its consultancy partner Penta, as well as representatives from US carriers including Delta Air Lines, FedEx and United Airlines.
According to the EC, the meeting was a technical meeting at a lower l.