DTN News: Russian Airlines Face EU Ban From 2012 Over CO2 Emissions

DTN News: Russian Airlines Face EU Ban From 2012 Over CO2 Emissions *Source: DTN News / RIA Novosti (NSI News Source Info) BRUSSELS, Belgium - August 24, 2009: The European Union has placed some 100 Russian air carriers, including Aeroflot, on a list of airlines that could be banned from European airports unless they reduce their environmental impact from 2012. The full list of nearly 4,000 airlines was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on Saturday. In accordance with a newly-introduced EU law, from January 1, 2012 all airlines operating in Europe will have to limit their carbon dioxide emissions or face penalties. The European Commission said that the list "is based on data provided by Eurocontrol using records of flight plans." Experts say air transport produces two percent of all manmade carbon dioxide emissions and 13 percent of CO2 from transport.

During the Soviet era, Aeroflot was the Soviet national airline and the largest airline in the world. Since the dissolution of the USSR, Aeroflot has been transformed from a state-run enterprise into a semi-privatised airline which ranks amongst the most profitable in the world. Aeroflot is still considered the de facto national airline of Russia. Aeroflot has embarked on a fleet modernisation program, extensive route restructuring, and an image overhaul, in order to bring the airline up to world standards. The airline joined SkyTeam in April 2006.

During the Soviet era Aeroflot was synonymous with Russian civil aviation. It became the first airline in the world to operate sustained regular jet services on 15 September 1956 with the Tupolev Tu-104.

In January 1971 the Aeroflot Central Administration of International Air Traffic was established within the framework of IATA, and became the industry's sole enterprise authorised to operate international flights. Abroad, the airline was known as Aeroflot Soviet Airlines. In 1976 Aeroflot carried its 100 millionth passenger.

Its flights were mainly concentrated around the Soviet Union, but the airline also had an international network covering five continents: North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. The network included countries such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Spain, Cuba, Mexico and the People's Republic of China. Since the 1970s some transatlantic flights were flown using Shannon Airport in Ireland as an intermediate stop, as it was the westernmost non-NATO airport in Europe.