A potential new levy could further increase the cost of flight tickets, according to Lufthansa, following fears of non-compliance with the European Union’s (EU) “Power-to-Liquid” (PtL) fuel blending mandate.
The airline, in an interview with the German newspaper Bild, expressed concerns that the lack of sufficient PtL fuel would lead to significant financial penalties, which would ultimately be passed on to passengers. The company’s spokesperson stated, “Airline and customers will be fined for not using a fuel that does not exist. This is not only absurd and detrimental to Germany’s economic hub and its international connectivity, but also politics on the back of companies and passengers, as the threatened fine payments will make flying to and from Germany even more expensive.”
As of next year, German airports are expected to blend 0.5 percent of PtL into their fuel, a quota that the airlines deem unfeasible, given the current and foreseeable lack of PtL fuel availability. The German government’s decision to abolish the national PtL quota, which was made in December, has been sent to the parliamentary committees for review.