Sustainability surcharges on airplanes are coming

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 06. 27. 11:41

Deutsche Lufthansa, Europe’s largest airline, has announced that it will introduce a new levy from January 2024 to cover the rising costs of sustainable fuels needed to reduce aircraft emissions. The new fee, which will be implemented under the name “Environmental Cost Surcharge”, starts from one euro and can go up to 72 euros per flight.

This surcharge only applies to flights from the European Union, the United Kingdom, Norway and Switzerland, and the exact amount depends on the route chosen and the fare. The Lufthansa group, which also includes Swiss, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines, displays this cost in a separate line when purchasing a ticket.

The group emphasized that although they are committed to investing in sustainable technologies, they are forced to introduce this fee to cover the additional costs. According to European Union regulations, airlines must use at least two percent sustainable fuel from 2025, which is currently accompanied by high costs.

The move is not unprecedented: the rival Air France–KLM group already introduced a surcharge of up to 24 euros on flights departing from France and the Netherlands in 2022. Other airlines, such as United Airlines and EasyJet, also use similar fees to cover the costs of sustainable fuel and carbon offsets.