[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

The alleged purpose of the tax is to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions by airlines. They would do that by flying less. If the tax would have no impact on airlines — why bother with it in the first place? The Eurocrats are either lying (likely), or they're completely incompetent for imposing a tax that will have no effect (this can't be ruled out either).

[Olog-hai]

They aren’t incompetent; merely corrupt. (And that’s understated.) Ambitious too, otherwise they wouldn’t be trying to tax the world in such a bold fashion.