8th April, 2011
In the last round of the spat between Boeing and Airbus, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has ruled that Boeing received subsidies of $5.2 billion between 1989 and 2006. Boeing dismisses the figure, saying it is less than $2.7 billion against more than $20 billion received by Airbus. The ongoing battle has raised enough interest to have its own web site – flightglobal.com – where more information can be found.
This is not simply a commercial issue, of interest only to the aviation industry and analysts. Subsidies, like tax avoidance, are a matter of great concern for AEF and the public.
Subsidies and tax avoidance distort the economy and lead to increased taxes for ordinary people. Subsidies and tax avoidance for aviation artificially stimulate traffic and exacerbate climate change and other impacts.