Ryanair is introducing a €0.25 levy per passenger for all bookings made from Tuesday 17th January to cover the costs of the EU’s new ETS tax.

Ryanair claims that the impact of ETS on Ryanair passengers at €0.25 per one way booking will be less than the impact upon those travelling with other EU airlines.

It said that it it expected the costs of ETA to be between €15 million and €20 million in 2012.

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said: “Ryanair will introduce a 25c ETS levy on every seat from Tues 17th January next to cover our estimated €15m - €20m ETS bill for 2012. Ryanair does not believe that European aviation should be included in the ETS scheme since it accounts for less than 2% of the EU’s CO2 emissions. This latest EU stealth tax will damage traffic, tourism, European competiveness and jobs at a time when no other economic block is including aviation in their ETS schemes.

This new ETS tax is the latest in a long line of cost increases imposed on Europe’s air passengers by the European Union, which reduces the competitiveness of EU air transport with yet another misguided ‘environmental’ tax which does nothing for the environment but penalises EU consumers and families.”