Australian airlines to pay carbon tax

Qantas, Virgin Blue and other domestic airlines have opted to pay the carbon tax instead of pay higher fuel excise. The government made a last-minute change to the carbon tax legislation, which now allows heavy users of fuel – from the aviation, shipping and rail industries – to opt in to the scheme. The airlines told the Government paying a carbon levy would give their operations more certainty and indeed allow airlines to buy carbon credits on the market. Heavy users of fuel will not be able to opt into the carbon pricing scheme until July 2013. The impact on