BT4Europe has become the latest group to criticise plans to introduce a tax on first- and business-class air travel to fund sustainable development.

The travel buyers network this week issued a response to the European Commission-backed proposal, echoing concerns previously raised by aviation groups IATA, ACI Europe and Airlines for Europe (A4E) following the formation earlier this month of a ¡®solidarity¡¯ coalition that seeks to raise funds for climate action?through a ¡®premium flyer¡¯ levy.

According to BT4Europe, the proposal ¡°risks misrepresenting the nature of business travel and undermining Europe's economic competitiveness¡± because it fails to differentiate between business travel and discretionary leisure travel.

¡°Business travel is not excess ¨C it is essential. It connects economies, drives innovation and supports European growth,¡± said BT4Europe¡¯s Odete Pimenta da Silva.

The organisation noted that approximately 10 per cent of business travellers fly in premium cabins and warned the policy's framing ¡°equates business travel with luxury¡±.

The group also argued the proposal does not guarantee that funds collected through the levy will be used to support decarbonisation efforts within the aviation sector, such as investments in alternative aviation fuels or fleet modernisation.

BT4Europe is urging EU policymakers to engage with the business travel community to design ¡°smart¡± climate policies instead of "simplistic solutions".

¡°Europe needs climate measures that are effective, equitable and economically sound. Business travel should be part of the solution ¨C not unfairly penalised by one-size-fits-all taxes,¡± Pimenta da Silva added.