SWISS introduces new environmental fee for passengers

The Lufthansa Group has confirmed that it will be adding a new surcharge for its flights from Zurich, Geneva, Basel and the rest of Europe. The group, which includes flag-carrier airline SWISS, say the extra fee is to help cover the cost of new EU climate regulations.

SWISS to impose new environmental surcharge on passengers

In a statement, the Lufthansa Group confirmed that it will be adding a new environmental surcharge to passenger fares. This will apply on routes departing from airports in Switzerland, the UK, Norway and the European Union from January 1, 2025.

Passengers will be charged between one and 72 euros (one to 69 francs) more per flight, applying to all services provided by members of the Lufthansa Group. This includes Lufthansa itself, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Eurowings and Brussels Airlines among others.

European airlines grapple with rising costs

The new charge is in response to legislation implemented by the EU, which requires carriers to use more "so-called" Sustainable Aviation Fuel or SAF. SAF is aircraft kerosene that is synthesised from carbon dioxide instead of fossil fuel. Though the production of the fuel and SAF itself still emits CO2 (albeit less than regular fuel), it would allow aviation firms to move away from using kerosene sourced from crude oil.

Under EU legislation, providers will have to include 2 percent SAF in their total fuel mix from 2025, rising to 6 percent in 2030 and 70 percent in 2050. This puts European airlines in a bind, as while it may be more environmentally friendly, a 2022 report from The Economist noted that SAF is around three times more expensive than traditional jet fuels.

"The airline group will not be able to bear the successively increasing additional costs resulting from regulatory requirements in the coming years on its own," Lufthansa concluded.

This article originally appeared in IamExpat in Germany.

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