From January 1, 2023, Innsbruck Airport is planning to change the fee schedule so that the fees are to be emissions-based. One wants to ask aircraft whose engines have higher pollutant emissions to pay more. The corresponding application has already been submitted to the Ministry of Transport headed by Leonore Gewessler (Greens).

Airport boss Marco Pernetta confirmed the project to the Tyrolean daily newspaper. The so-called Ministry of Climate Protection is currently examining Innsbruck Airport's application. A final decision has not yet been made as to whether this will be approved or rejected. The Tyrolean airport has been charging noise-related fees since 2004.

The purpose of changing the fee schedule is that Innsbruck Airport would like to reward airlines that use modern aircraft that are considered low-emission. However, those who use older machines should be asked to pay more. Those responsible are of the opinion that this “eco supplement” will play a pioneering role in Austria.

Commercial airports in the Alpine Republic cannot simply set their usage fees as they see fit. The legislator stipulates that the so-called user committee must decide this. A corresponding application for clearance must then be submitted to the Ministry of Transport, which acts as the supreme civil aviation authority. This is free in the decision regarding approval or rejection.

It is considered quite likely that the BMK will grant the Tyrolean request. Interestingly, emissions-based fees have been a long-standing demand of low-cost airlines Ryanair and Wizz Air. They hope to gain financial advantages over network carriers, as both groups rarely miss an opportunity to emphasize the alleged environmental friendliness of their fleets. In the case of Innsbruck, however, it should be noted that neither Ryanair nor Wizz Air have this airport in their route network, so that a concrete connection can be ruled out with a high degree of probability.