Airline taxation should remain in headquarter country — Willie Walsh

UN-proposed change will only help the 'batalions of accountants', former Aer Lingus CEO says

Airline margins remain 'wafer thin — we're still looking at a margin of just over 3%', Willie Walsh said. Picture: Amr Alfiky/Reuters

The United Nations should not change a convention on how global airlines are taxed, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said, cautioning doing so would add complexity and cost, and might cause routes to be scrapped.

A UN committee on tax is considering taxing airlines in the countries where they generate revenue, rather than the current system, which taxes airlines where they are headquartered.