Association: China airlines won’t pay EU carbon tax

HONG KONG: China's airlines will refuse to pay any carbon costs under the European Union's (EU) Emissions Trading Scheme, while other Asia-Pacific carriers, already battling a weak travel market, are likely to pass on the extra cost to passengers.

The EU's scheme (ETS) was launched in 2005 as one of the major pillars of the bloc's efforts to combat climate change. From Jan 1, all airlines using EU airports are included in the cap-and-trade scheme.