EUROCONTROL defers payment of 1.1 billion fees due from European airlines

EUROCONTROL is a pan-European, civil-military organization dedicated to supporting European aviation in which 41 European states and neighboring countries participate with its main purpose is to develop and maintain an efficient air traffic control system. To support this commitment, the national civil aviation authorities bodies and entities providing traffic control services, civil and military airspace users, the industrial sector, professional organizations and airlines using the airspace of countries affiliated to the organization must pay a monthly fee to finance traffic control services.

Lufthansa Group has been hit extremely hard by the coronavirus crisis. Photo by Karam Sodhi | AeroNewsX

Restrictions decided by states around the world have led to -90% of air traffic and in order to support the aviation sector facing a sudden and significant cash crisis caused by the coronavirus emergency, the 41 countries affiliated to EUROCONTROL have decided to allow air carriers to postpone the payment of approximately €1.1 billion worth of fees.

Director General of EUROCONTROL Eamonn Brennan shows the current european air traffic situation.

EUROCONTROL wrote that “as a result of COVID-19, the number of flights operating daily in European airspace has declined by 90%. This dramatic reduction in operations is likely to continue for a number of weeks to come and therefore the airline industry had sought the support of EUROCONTROL Member States to help it deal with its sudden and significant cash flow crisis.“

EUROCONTROL has decided to delay the payment of the 518 million euros due for February in November and allowed the airlines to also postpone the advance payments on the March, April, and May fees, for a total of 1.1 billion euros.