BAA urges Government to charge airlines for pollution

Airports operator BAA will tomorrow urge the Government to introduce a radical new system of charging airlines for their contribution to global warming.

Airports operator BAA will tomorrow urge the Government to introduce a radical new system of charging airlines for their contribution to global warming.

The proposal will be contained in a report to be sent to the Treasury which will say that aviation "should meet the external costs of its activities".

BAA, headed by chief executive Mike Clasper, will say that the introduction of new charges should be accompanied by the abolition of air passenger duty. This is levied on all departing passengers and ranges from £5 for an economy-class traveller to £40 for long-haul business class. It raises £900m a year for the Treasury.

But the owner of London's Heathrow Airport believes this should be replaced by levies related to aircraft emissions. "Charges may be more effective than a blunt tax," BAA will say.

It is responding to draft proposals published in March jointly by the Treasury and the Department for Transport. The results will be fed into the Air Transport White Paper, due to be published in the autumn, which will set out "sustainable" aviation policy for the next 30 years. The draft caused surprise in the aviation industry because carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from aircraft have never been taxed and are not even covered by the Kyoto treaty on climate change.

Many environmentalists believe the airline industry is one of the biggest contributors to global warming.

BAA's report will argue: "Charges related to aircraft emissions ... may encourage the faster take-up of lower-emissions technology and provide a clear incentive to airlines to accelerate the replacement of older aircraft with more modern, cleaner aircraft."

The company will also urge the Government to consider proposals for aircraft emissions trading to be administered internationally.