EasyJet urges governments to back Airbus bet on hydrogen

EasyJet said governments need to get behind zero-emission aircraft including hydrogen-powered models envisaged by Airbus if they’re to become a reality by the 2030s. Airlines that operate such planes should benefit from tax breaks and reduced airspace and airport charges, while state support will be key in developing hydrogen supplies and infrastructure, EasyJet CEO Johan Lundgren said Tuesday at an Airbus sustainability event. The aviation industry has put forward a range of proposals as it seeks to burnish its green credentials before next month’s COP26 climate summit in Scotland. EasyJet said that while it will embrace near-term measures such as sustainable aviation fuel, the most effective long-term solution for short-haul operators is a wholesale switch to zero-carbon hydrogen and electric aircraft. “It needs to be an effort by everybody including governments to make sure there’s a plan of how to decarbonize,” Lundgren said. “One of the things I’m skeptical of is well-meaning attempts by some policy makers that will strangle aviation by impacting demand.” Airlines are currently reliant on carbon offsets as an immediate response to cutting emissions, with the role of SAF limited by a lack of availability and consequent higher costs. Even so, the CEO said he’s concerned that too much focus on SAF risks hurting investment in true zero-emission technologies.<br/>