Seven leading European aviation companies have written to political leaders complaining about a recently introduced EU carbon tax, BBC reported.

The signatories, which include Airbus, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, argue that the pollution levy threatens jobs and trade.

※They are concerned about trade-related retaliation by countries not complying with the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). China and the US both oppose the tax.

"The measure is threatening more than 1,000 jobs (at Airbus) and another thousand through the supply chain," Airbus CEO Thomas Enders is quoted as saying.