Dumping LCCs is not the green solution
Thursday, 12 Nov, 2009
0
Getting rid of low cost carriers would not significantly help the global emissions crisis, a BAA Stansted green expert told WTM on World Responsible Tourism Day.
The airport operator’s head of environment Dr Andy Jefferson told a seminar on airlines and the environment that the likes of Ryanair and Easyjet were highly efficient business models with very young fleets.
He said: “These planes are flying with high load factors and the average age of the fleet is very young. Their aircraft is less than five years old across the board. If you ask the question, should we be allowing these flights or should we send all their passengers onto the trains of Europe, then the answer is at the moment there is not the capacity to carry these LCC-destination bound people on trains.”
He also added that the impact of stopping low-cost carriers flying to the destinations they serve would be hugely detrimental on the local economies.
Manchester Metropolitan University’s professor of sustainable aviation Dr Callum Thomas added: “My philosophy is that, having created a global society and lifted the lid off the box, you cannot put the lid back on. I want to enjoy travel and my kids to enjoy travel and the answer isn’t to go backwards. We just have to come up with a solution to the emissions issue.”
By Dinah Hatch
Dinah
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Clearing CSS/JS assets' cache... Please wait until this notice disappears...
Updating... Please wait...
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025