Earlier this year we noted Airbus’ concern with the ETS and its China orders being held up. China has been at the forefront of battling with the EU and its new carbon tax on air travel. China is not alone of course, but China wields a big stick with aircraft orders. Airbus has suffered even though it plainly has nothing to do with the ETS implementation.
This morning’s news that China has ordered 50 A320s is noteworthy. Interestingly the order includes 20 A320neos, China’s first order of the type. On the face of it the order appears to indicate the Chinese freeze on Airbus may have thawed. It helps that Airbus has a factory in Tianjin. Airbus advises that the order will deliver from both EU and Tianjin. So even if the freeze is not quite over, the Tianjin factory ensures the freeze is limited.
Everybody said 100, a last minute cut to give a signal? Anyway ETS is not only drawing critcs also finding allies.
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/australia-to-link-carbon-trading-system-with-eu-ets-375853/
Airlines are paying lip service to sustainable energy, environment as long as it symbolic, enhances public acceptance. If things get serious, costs, growth flexibility come into play, we need governments to make trade-offs on whats best for all, long term, not just commercial airlines and travelindustry for the next 4 yrs.
Also, what I heard is that the A320neo will mostly be used domestically, and surely can’t fly long enough to land in an European airport to incur an ETS charge…