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AMSTERDAM—Europe's largest air carriers have formed a new lobby group in a move to sway government policy as the European Union considers far-reaching moves on issues from passenger-travel rights to airline ownership rules. What's more, the group has a first target: airport costs.

The new trade body, called Airlines for Europe to parallel its U.S. counterparts' association, Airlines for America, brings together some unlikely bedfellows. It includes former national carriers such as of Air France-KLM SA and Deutsche Lufthansa AG, and their fierce upstart rivals Ryanair Holdings PLC and easyJet PLC, Europe's biggest discount carriers. The network carriers and budget airlines were previously in rival trade bodies.

Europe's airlines have often failed in their efforts to lobby European governments on issues from environmental regulations to passenger refunds in case of delayed flights. And airlines' calls for Europe to streamline air-traffic management across the bloc to lower costs has foundered against opposition from EU member states.

Airlines have long bemoaned that airports, which are often highly regulated by governments, are raising costs at a time the carriers are being forced to cut ticket prices amid stiff competition. That issue has now become the first campaign target of the new lobby group.

"While the airlines have reduced their fares, EU passengers continue to be fleeced by excessive airport charges," the airlines said on Wednesday.

The airline group cited data that alleges costs at 21 of Europe's largest airports have risen 80% since 2005, while airfares have declined 20% over that period. Passengers are paying €5.4 billion ($5.9 billion) more in airport charges now than a decade ago, they said.

Airports in the U.K., Switzerland and Germany have Europe's highest per-passenger airport fees, they said.

The carriers are calling on the EU to making changes in how airports can levy charges to lower costs.

The new lobby group will operate with a restricted mandate after an older trade body last year broke apart over sharp policy differences among its members.

Air France-KLM and Lufthansa had urged the previous association to take a strong protectionist stand against fast-growing Middle Eastern carriers such as Emirates Airline and Qatar Airways, which some European airlines accuse of being subsidized. The Mideast carriers deny the charge.

British Airways parent International Consolidated Airlines Group SA and some others, seeking a more liberal approach, terminated their membership.

The European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, last month spelled out plans to boost the competitiveness of the region's airline industry, including seeking more far-reaching, air-traffic treaties with other countries including those in the Middle East. The proposal got an initial lukewarm response from airlines and pilots, who said it lacked specifics.

Write to Robert Wall at robert.wall@wsj.com and Daniel Michaels at daniel.michaels@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 20, 2016 12:15 ET (17:15 GMT)

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