The Federal Cabinet has approved new tariffs for aircraft landing at or departing from Brussels Airport in Zaventem (Flemish Brabant). For the most polluting aircraft and planes that are being used for short flights airport taxes will rise. Private jets will also have to pay more. However, airlines that are committed to helping the environment will be rewarded.
Home News
Private jets and the most polluting aircraft will pay more at Brussels Airport
Published:
The Federal Transport Minister Georges Gilkinet (Francophone green) explains that depending on the green credentials of a particular plane and other factors such as the distance it has flown or is going to fly “The levy will be between 25% cheaper to 40% more expensive".
Aircraft that land and depart must pay a fee to the Belgian air traffic control Skeyes. On Friday the Federal Cabinet approved a new management contract for Skeyes. This includes new rates that Skeyes will charge the airlines. In addition to the factors mentioned above the level of noise aircraft produce has already been taken into account when determining how much they should pay. Aircaft that make a lot of noise will pay more than quieter ones.
Also from now on emissions levels will also be taken into account. Aircraft flying short distances (up to 500 km) will also pay more and it will become more expensive to land or depart very early in the morning or very late at night.
Meanwhile, it will be cheaper to fly to Brussels with new, fuel-efficient aircraft. "For some it will be up to a quarter cheaper, for others up to 40% more expensive," says the Federal Transport Minister of Mobility Georges Gilkinet (Francophone green) told journalists.
“There are aircraft out there that are much more efficient, both in terms of emissions and noise. We will give airlines maximum encouragement to use such aircraft on their routes to Brussels. In this way we can limit the impact for local residents as much as possible", Mr Gilkinet added
The Federal Transport Minister says that for Brussels Airlines and TUI, two of the major players at Zaventem, the fees will become cheeper as "They already make a lot of efforts for the environment."
VRT NWS has contacted both airlines. They say that the impact of the new measures is still being calculated.
Private jets targeted
Private jets in particular will have to dig deeper into their pockets to be able to land at or take of from Zaventem. Until now, the noise quotas did not apply to business jets.
However, in future a separate levy will now be introduced for this type of aircraft. Since the corona crisis, the use of private jets has greatly increased.At Brussels Airport this amounts to more than 3,000 flights per year.
A study by Transport & Environment found that private jets account for about 1%, but cause about 50% of the aviation sector’s total emisssion.