Airlines join forces to lobby for tax cuts and to limit strikes

Five of Europe’s biggest airline groups, including Ryanair, have joined forces for the first time to lobby the European Commission to cut taxes and reduce air traffic control strikes as part of the new aviation strategy being drawn up.

Air France KLM, Easyjet, International Airlines Group, Lufthansa Group and Ryanair are responsible for carrying around half of the passengers that took flights in Europe last year, and are competitors on many issues.

However, in what Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary described as an historic day, they have drawn up a list of areas on which they agree, including limiting the effect of air traffic controller strikes, ground handling, security services and flight paths.