Europe's airlines say wars, red tape are holding them back as rivals streak ahead

LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - Europe's ​airlines ⁠are losing ground to global rivals ​and need stronger EU support to tackle rising regulatory costs, make sustainable jet ​fuel ‌affordable and better manage crises, a lobby group representing the continent's main carriers ⁠said. The European Union has asked for ⁠feedback on a new ​Aviation and Aeronautics Strategy, with the deadline for submissions set for Thursday as the sector struggles with the knock-on effects of the Iran war.

"The ​COVID-19 ‌pandemic, the closure of Russian airspace, the crisis in the Middle East, together with growing global protectionism have worsened the competitive disadvantage for EU carriers," Airlines for Europe (A4E) said in its submission ​to the EU seen by Reuters on Wednesday. The group, which represents carriers ‌including Ryanair, Air France-KLM and Lufthansa, has lobbied for reforming and limiting disruption around air traffic ‌control in Europe, looser sustainability rules and help to make the sector more globally competitive.

Specifically, the group is calling on the EU to ​create a stronger crisis management framework and an aviation waiver which would allow obligations ‌to be temporarily suspended or adjusted when complying with them is clearly impractical or counterproductive.

The airline sector was among the hardest hit during ⁠the COVID-19 ⁠pandemic and the widespread disruption to travel ‌this year due to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

The document also calls on the ​EU to "address ​the structural failure of the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) ‌market" and to deal with challenges with airspace congestion and loss of market share to non-EU carriers, such as Chinese and Middle East airlines.

Ryanair

Air France -klm