“There is no evidence that this tax will benefit the sector or that its revenues will be reinvested in R&D to support the development of new technologies”, said the airline in statement.

For this reason “easyJet is calling for the suspension of the implementation of the Carbon Tax. The tax must be evaluated before its implementation, as it is not clear how the government intends to use the tax revenue to combat climate change”.

And they continue saying that without this assessment, the measure will just be a new passenger duty that will lead to an increase in airline tickets for customers.

The airline don’t believe on the effectiveness of this tax because, “being a flat rate - where everyone pays 2 € - it cannot reflect the carbon footprint of different airlines and trips, therefore it cannot be considered green, as it is not directly linked to the CO2 emissions.”

According to José Lopes, easyJet Country Manager Portugal: "This measure does not contribute to improving the sustainability of the industry and, in addition, it prevents the recovery of the national economy, which is dependent on tourism. A passenger tax is not the right approach as it does not encourage airlines to become more sustainable”.

“easyJet wants flying to be – and remain – affordable for everyone, not just for the wealthy. The benefits of aviation are endless when it comes to connecting people, bringing friends and family together, allowing people to have contact with different cultures and also providing economic prosperity”, concluded the airline.

The two-euro carbon tax is applied to passengers on international flights and cruise ships in Portugal.

This fee does not apply to children under the age of two, or to public passenger transport in maritime and river transport, or to air transport for residents in the autonomous regions between the mainland and the respective region and within the archipelago.