Lufthansa has announced that it will apply a surcharge on the prices of its flights in Europe. This supplement, which varies depending on the ticket, aims to offset the ecological impact of air travel and encourage more sustainable practices. A price increase deemed necessary to compensate for the additional costs generated by the “regulatory requirements” imposed by the European Commission in environmental matters.
Tickets will increase from 1 to 72 euros from 2025!
On June 25, the airline group Lufthansa announced an increase in prices on all its European flights. This decision aims, according to the company, to cover part of the costs generated by the environmental requirements of the European Commission.
This surcharge will apply to all flights from 1 January 2025. It will affect departures from the 27 countries of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Norway and Switzerland. The amount of this surcharge, which will vary between 1 and 72 euros, will depend on the route and the flight fare.
« The airline group will not be able to bear alone the increasing additional costs resulting from regulatory requirements in the years to come “, Lufthansa said on Tuesday.
To consolidate its position, the company refers to the EU’s mandatory quotas, which impose the incorporation of more sustainable fuels (Sustainable Aviation FuelSAF) in aircraft tanks to gradually replace kerosene.
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Lufthansa and Europe losing momentum Against the United States
By 2025, the share of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) is expected to reach 2%, then increase to 6% in 2030, 20% in 2035 and peak at 70% in 2050. However, the production of SAF, coming from sources such as tree leaves, algae, wind turbines and cooking oil, remains insufficient.
In 2023, it represented only 0.5% of global aviation fuel demand, leading to rising prices, often three to five times those of fossil kerosene, according to Lufthansa.
« The more the production of SAF increases, the more its price will fall “, a spokesperson for the group stressed to AFP. According to him, as long as the price does not drop, Lufthansa will continue to increase ticket prices to absorb the additional cost of the SAF.
In March, major European airlines urged the European Union to follow the United States’ lead on incentives to speed up SAF production. According to an industry spokesperson, an increase in SAF production would lead to a gradual drop in their price.
