Air Transport Association Urges U.S. Climate Negotiators to Oppose Climate Change Tax Targeting International Air Passengers

Air Transport Association Urges U.S. Climate Negotiators to Oppose Climate
Change Tax Targeting International Air Passengers

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Air Transport Association
of America (ATA), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S.
airlines, yesterday urged climate negotiators to oppose an exorbitant new
climate change tax to be imposed on the airlines and their passengers. The
so-called "International Air Passenger Adaption Levy," would single out
aviation to raise $10 billion per year for climate-change projects to be built
in developing countries.

ATA wrote to the U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change, Todd Stern, urging the
United States to strongly oppose this steep tax on international air travel.
"The proposed tax would unfairly and unreasonably target one industrial
sector, a sector that has a tremendous fuel and greenhouse gas efficiency
record, to the detriment of the economy," said ATA President and CEO James C.
May.

"Even though the U.S. airlines account for less than 2 percent of the U.S.
greenhouse gas inventory, we are committed to doing more. However, this hefty
new tax would be counterproductive, siphoning away to the developing countries
the very funds that the U.S. airlines need to continue to invest in new
aircraft, retrofits, alternative fuel and other upgrades critical to the
airlines' environmental performance and the U.S. economy," said May. "We
should not be considered a piggy bank for developing countries."

In its letter, ATA urged the United States to oppose the tax, and instead to
support the industry's proactive proposal for a global, sectoral approach to
aviation and climate change.

U.S. airlines improved their fuel efficiency by approximately 110 percent
between 1978 and 2008, saving 2.7 million metric tons of CO2 - roughly
equivalent to taking 19.5 million cars off the road each of those years.

ATA airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all
U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. For additional industry information,
visit www.airlines.org.

SOURCE Air Transport Association of America

Elizabeth Merida, +1-202-626-4205; or David Castelveter, +1-202-626-4033, both
of the Air Transport Association of America