ERA Press Releases

2008

8 July - ETS COMPROMISE HANDS €7BN TO EUROPEAN AIRLINES
ERA estimates the cost of Emissions Trading for European airlines at €7bn in the first two years of the scheme, increasing progressively as the scheme continues.....

27 May - ENVI HIJACKS EUROPEAN COUNCIL POSITION ON EMISSIONS
Today’s vote by the European Parliament’s ENVI Committee on the inclusion of aviation into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme is radicalism in the extreme....

10 April - ERA TO JOIN FORCES WITH ACI EUROPE TO BEAT CONGESTION
ERA is seeking to work even more closely with the Airports Council International (ACI) EUROPE to address the issue of European airport congestion....

10 April ERA WELCOMES EC COMMENTS: ETS, THEN NO MORE ENVIRONMENTAL CHARGES
ERA welcomes the European Commission’s acknowledgement today that aviation’s inclusion in the EU emissions trading scheme (ETS) must not be accompanied by even further environmental charges....

9 April CRIMINALISING AIR ACCIDENTS BLOCKS SAFETY PROGRESS
The prosecution of persons or companies ‘guilty’ of human error or tragic mistakes has no place in air accident investigation, says ERA President....

3 April 7.5% GROWTH & RECORD LOAD FACTORS FOR EUROPE'S REGIONAL AIRLINES
ERA airline members have reported continued scheduled passenger growth of 7.5% and the highest load factor on record of 65% for the year 2007....

28 January REGIONAL AIRPORTS BEST PLACED FOR 'GREEN APPROACHES'
European Regions Airline Association (ERA) Board members agreed unanimously last week to endorse the policy of continuous descent approaches at as many airports as possible because of the system’s beneficial effects on both the environment...

2007

14 November EUROPEAN LAWMAKERS THREATEN SIMPLE AIRLINE PRICING
Airlines may be required to publish a detailed breakdown of their prices, in addition to a fully inclusive price, if a new law being considered by Europe’s legislators gets the green light.....

23 October AIRLINES NEED BETTER EUROPEAN LAW-MAKING PROCEDURES
Two Resolutions agreed by members of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) at last Friday’s AGM in Athens have highlighted inconsistencies in the European Parliament’s law-making procedures....

23 October SIMIGDALAS RETAINS ERA PRESIDENCY FOR SECOND TERM
Antonis Simigdalas, COO of Aegean Airlines has been re-elected as President of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) for a second term of office....

19 October AEGEAN AIRLINES AND FRITZ FEITL RECEIVE HONOURS
Aegean Airlines became the third airline to receive the ERA Palme d’Or Honour for sustained excellence last night at the era2007 Awards Dinner in Athens, Greece...

19 October AIR NOSTRUM TAKES GOLD AWARD FOR THE FOURTH TIME
Air Nostrum has been announced as the winner of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) Airline of the Year 2007/8 GOLD Award for the fourth time....

19 October 'GREEN GROWTH' WINS MUNICH AIRPORT ERA AWARD
A proactive and responsible approach to environmental issues, allowing the achievement of a balance between airport growth and care for the environment, has won Munich the Airport Achievement Award 2007/8....

19 October FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL WINS AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COVERAGE
Flight International has won the ERA Hank McGonagle Journalism Award 2007/8 for its objective and rational coverage of environmental issues over the last 12 months....

18 October ERA MEMBERS REPORT ENCOURAGING 2007 GROWTH
As the members of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) gather at the association’s annual General Assembly in Athens, ERA’s reporting member airlines continue to record very healthy growth for the first six months of 2007....

17 October ERA WELCOMES MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES INTO MEMBERSHIP
 The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) is delighted to welcome Japanese aircraft manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) into membership of the Association.....

05 October MEPs QUADRUPLE COST OF AIRLINE EMISSIONS TRADING
ERA has attacked Tuesday’s vote of the European Parliament Environment Committee (ENVI) which it says will increase the cost of emissions trading to the airline industry by more than 400%....


17 July EUROPEAN CABIN CREW REGULATIONS - A COMPREHENSIVE SOURCE OF INFORMATION
Four aviation industry organisations – AEA, ETF, ERA and IACA – have published a survey comparing the legal rules and regulations governing Cabin Crew Licensing, Recruitment and Training Requirements in the Member States of the EU.....

6 July EC MUST ACT ON NEW AVIATION REPORT
Europe’s airlines need to see the European Commission (EC) act on the recommendations of an encouraging new aviation report, according to the European Regions Airline Association (ERA)....

6 June NEW INDUSTRY IMPACT ASSESSMENT ON AVIATION'S INCLUSION IN EU ETS
An independent impact assessment on the inclusion of aviation into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), conducted on behalf of the European aviation industy and published today, concludes that the European Commission's proposal in its present form....

4 April ERA WELCOMES COOPERATION OVER PASSENGER RIGHTS
ERA welcomes today’s move by the European Commission (EC) to increase its cooperation with airlines over the application of the existing regulation on Air Passenger Rights.....

28 March EUROPE'S REGIONALS LEAD ON SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
Intra-European airlines have recorded passenger growth of 8.2% while growth in the number of flights has slowed from 3% to 1.3% in 2006, proving that passenger growth can be accommodated while reducing the environmental impact of aviation....

12 March SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS OR RAMPANT McCARTHYISM?
'The latest proposals from the leader of the UK's Conservative Party regarding restriction and taxation of air travel for environmental reasons are more akin to the kind of persecution seen during the 'McCarthy era'...

10 January OMBUDSMAN UPHOLDS ERA COMPLAINT OF MALADMINISTRATION
Following a complaint from ERA, the European Ombudsman is recommending that the European Commission (EC) corrects inaccurate and misleading information on air passenger rights....

4 January ERA LAUNCHES BOOK-A-FLIGHT ONLINE
The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) has launched an online timetable of its member airlines which allows users to search for flights and book online....

2006

19 December ERA WELCOMES AEROFLOT-NORD
The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) is delighted to welcome Russian carrier Aeroflot-Nord to the association.....

20 November CRIMINALISATION HINDERS SAFETY PROGRESS SAY ERA/FSF
ERA has signed a joint Resolution witih the international Flight Safety Foundation urging governments and national authorities to clamp down on criminal prosecution in the wake of air disasters, claiming that it is detrimental to safety progress......

3 October ERA MEMBERS CALL FOR UNITY AGAINST TERRORISM
The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) is calling for cooperation between airports, airlines and national governments to ensure the safety and security of air passengers and airline employees.

3 October ERA MEMBERS CALL FOR BETTER REGULATION PROGRESS
The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) is calling for greater commitment to ensure the European Commission’s ‘Better Regulation’ principles are being put into practice.

29 September ERA VOTES IN NEW BOARD MEMBERS AT AGM
Padraig O’Ceidigh, Executive Chairman of Aer Arann has been elected Vice President of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) Board by the members’ Annual General Meeting in Barcelona today.

29 September FLIGHT EDITORIAL SPEAKS OUT ON JUST CULTURE
The controversial issue of non-punitive occurrence reporting in the interests of passenger safety has won David Learmount, operations & safety editor, Flight International the ERA Hank McGonagle Journalism Award 2006/7.

29 September HONOURS GRANTED TO AER ARANN AND MAURICIO BOTELHO
Aer Arann became the second airline to receive the ERA Palme d’Or Honour for sustained excellence last night at the era2006 Awards Dinner in Barcelona, Spain.

29 September INNSBRUCK WINS ERA AIRPORT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
An initiative that improves the efficiency and safety of ATC at and around an airport has won Innsbruck Airport the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) Airport Achievement Award for 2006/7.

29 September UK's EASTERN AIRWAYS FINALLY STRIKES GOLD
Eastern Airways has been crowned the GOLD winner of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) Airline of the Year Award.

28 September ERA LAUNCHES 'PLAIN FARES' CAMPAIGN
The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) is today launching a campaign to improve the transparency of prices on airline websites.

28 September ERA MEMBERS REPORT ENCOURAGING 2006 GROWTH
ERA’s member airlines are reporting very healthy growth for the first six months of 2006. Scheduled passenger traffic was up an encouraging 8.2% compared to the first half of 2005.

27 September ERA WELCOMES SUPPORT FROM ABERTIS FOUNDATION
The abertis charitable foundation, which supports the study of the repercussions of infrastructure on the environment, economy and demographics, has generously offered to provide ERA with grant aid to support the association’s work in the field of anti-/de-icing.

20 September ERA ISSUES 'BETTER REGULATION' GUIDELINES
The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) is today issuing a set of step-by-step guidelines to help the aviation industry put the European Commission's 'Better Regulation' principles into practice.

28 June THREAT TO EUROPE'S VITAL AIR LINKS
ERA issued a warning today that passengers and destinations could be the ultimate losers if the secondary trading of slots, currently being considered by the European Commission in its proposal to extend the existing slot allocation regulation, does not undergo a full impact assessment......

27 June
INTRA-EUROPEAN AIRLINE TRAFFIC UP 8.5% IN 1ST QUARTER
The number of scheduled passengers carried by ERA airlines grew 8.5% in the first quarter of 2006 - an almost 4 point rise from the 4.8% growth recorded for the same period in 2005.....

26 June ERA WELCOMES NEW AVIATION POLICY
The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) is welcoming the European Commission's recognition of the fact that the internal European Union air transport market is an engine for EU economic growth.... 

16 June ERA CALLS FOR COOPERATIVE APPROACH ON AIRPORT REGULATION
President of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA), Antonis Simigdalas, is calling for regulatory progress in key areas of common interest to Europe's airlines and airports....

4 May EUROPE'S AIRLINES CALL FOR EU-WIDE SAFETY BODY AND AIRCRAFT REGISTER
ERA has recommended the creation of a centralised and independent European Transportation Safety Board (ETSB) to replace state investigation bodies....

20 April EXPERTS UNITE TO IMPROVE WINTER AVIATION SAFETY
Aircraft de/anti-icing experts are working together to plan vital safety improvements in this unregulated area...

22 March EUROPE'S REGIONAL AIRLINES REPORT 6.3% GROWTH IN 2005
Europe's regional airlines are enjoying a period of long-term traffic growth, according to the latest statistics....

16 February CIRRUS AIRLINES JOINS ERA
Scheduled German carrier Cirrus Airlines has joined the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) as part of its strategy for expansion...

17 January INDUSTRY CALLS FOR SECURITY CONSULTING BODY
ERA and five other air transport associations have called for the establishment of a formal Industry Consultation Body to advise the European Commission (EC) and EU state governments....  

10 January
ERA ASKS EC TO REVISE EUROPEAN AIR TRANSPORT POLICY
ERA has asked the European Commission to undertake a major revision of the section on air transport in its White Paper on European transport policy. ERA believes the revision must include:....  

2005

17 November SINGLE SKY BIGGEST CHALLENGE SINCE LIBERALISATION, SAYS ERA
“The Single European Sky is the most important and ambitious project that the EC has undertaken since its liberalisation of air transport,” claims Mike Ambrose, director general, ERA....
 
18 October ERA MEMBERS CALL ON EUROPE TO REJECT BAD LAWS
Two resolutions from European Regions Airline Association members at their Gothenburg annual meeting last Friday call for fundamental new thinking from...

17 October ISLAND AIRLINE’S TRIPLE SUCCESS
The first winner of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) Airline of the Year accolade, Binter Canarias, has done it again...

14 October “STRONG SUPPORTER” MUNICH WIN S ERA AIRPORT AWARD
Munich Airport International’s powerful role in giving Germany’s regions access to the world has been underlined with the Bavarian...

14 October ATW EDITORIAL DRIVES AGENDA FOR CHANGE
A clarion call for concerted action across the airline industry on environmental issues earned J. A. “Jay” Donoghue, Washington-based editorial director...

13 October SIMIGDALAS ASKS FOR EC ENVIRONMENT & CONSUMER PROTECTION INPUT INTO EC TRANSPORT POLICY
Two key European Commissioners have been asked to examine an alternative to a White Paper on transport, currently used as a basis for policy by the Commissioner...

13 October ERA POINTS OUT OBSTACLES TO AIRLINE GROWTH
Intra-European airlines have seen healthy growth during 2005 and are reaching new levels of competitiveness but are still seeing costs...

13 October INTRA-EUROPEAN CARRIERS GET BIGGER, FASTER
In the face of intense competition from ‘low fare carriers’, intra-European ‘legacy’ carriers are reporting record performances for the...

8 July INTRA-EUROPEAN PASSENGERS FLYING FURTHER, SAYS ERA
Passengers are now flying longer distances on intra-European scheduled airlines, according to first quarter results reported to the...

5 July MINISTERS SHOULD HEED IMPACT OF AIR TAX 
Finance ministers should heed a European Commission (EC) impact assessment on the proposed Overseas Development Aid (ODA) tax on...

30 June ABOUT THE ERA WEBSITE - BACKGROUND 
Official website for the European Regions Airline Association, eraa.org is among the world’s most popular aviation industry sites, receiving 7.5...

20 June ERA BACKS UK COMMISSIONS "TECHNOLOGY, NOT TAXES" TARGET
Taxes cannot change engine performance – only technology can do that.” said Mike Ambrose, Director General of the European Regions...

14 June WHY ERA INVESTED IN SESAME 
By partnering in the SESAME Definition Phase through the Air Traffic Alliance, the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) wants to...

10 June BARROT COMMITS TO REGULATORY IMPACT ASSESSMENTS 
In a wide-ranging discussion with ERA in Brussels, European Commission Vice President Jacques Barrot has committed Europe’s air transport...

9 June EC ASKS ERA TO SOLVE POVERTY TAX ROW 
The European Commission has asked the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) to suggest alternatives to the EU Finance Ministers’...

1 June ERA'S SEVEN RULES OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE LAW-MAKING 
The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) presented its Seven Rules of Highly Effective Regulation today in Brussels as part of its...

25 May COMPLAINTS RESULT OF EC MISINFORMATION SAYS ERA 
Claims by the European Commission (EC) that passenger complaints have risen tenfold since the implementation of the new legislation...

20 May FAILURE TO THINK TAX THROUGH 
Thoughtless treatment of Europe’s airlines by EU finance ministers will prolong the continent’s economic woes, ERA underlined today in...

6 May OMBUDSMAN ACTS ON EC MALADMINISTRATION CLAIM 
The European Ombudsman has today acted on the complaint of maladministration against the European Commission (EC) submitted by...

6 April ERA TAKES EC TO EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN
The European Regions Airline Association has today (Wednesday, 6 April) lodged a complaint of European Commission (EC)...

4 April BALTIC BOOM LEADS ERA MEMBER GROWTH 
Accession to the European Union appears to have had a major impact on European Regions Airline Association member airlines in the Baltic...

18 February AIRLINES WON'T COMPLY WITH "ABSURD" EC POLICY, SAYS ERA 
The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) has backed a pan-industry outcry demanding the withdrawal of “blatantly erroneous and...

17 February ERA STATEMENT ON TODAY'S EC PASSENGER RIGHTS LEAFLET DISTRIBUTION 
Outrageously and deliberately misleading and based on a poor understanding of the industry and its own legislation, the European...

14 January INTRA-EUROPEAN AIRLINES REPORT STABLE 4% GROWTH
Airline members of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) have reported traffic stability over the first nine months of 2004 and better...