EasyJet has delayed the start of a scheme to offset its carbon emissions, claiming excessive costs.

The budget carrier claims the carbon offsetting industry is riddled with "snake oil salesmen" charging between 25% and 30% of every pound put in by consumers to cover administration costs, the Guardian reported.

The airline instead plans to buy credits in UN-backed schemes and sell them back to passengers.

easyJet's communications director Toby Nicol was quoted as saying: "We have been quite surprised at the percentage that the offsetting companies would like to take out of the scheme for administration costs.

"Between 25% and 30% of every pound put in by consumers would go into administrating the company and that was simply too expensive.

"There are a lot of people who have dived into the market who are desperate to make a margin out of it. There are too many snale oil salesmen in the business."

Buying UN-backed carbon credits on the open market and selling them to passengers was better than turning to brokers.

"It gets rid of the expensive middleman and it addresses the valid concern about whether it will make any difference to carbon emissions," Nicol reportedly said.

by Phil Davies