14 October 2019
Call to ban air miles reward schemes
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Air miles schemes should be banned because they stimulate demand for excessive flying, according to a report commissioned by the Government's climate change advisers.
Frequent flyers should also be hit with an 'escalating air miles levy' to stop them flying so much.
However, the Committee on Climate Change report says prices should not rise for people taking an annual holiday.
Restrictions are necessary to cut down on excessive flights taken by 15% of the UK population estimated to be responsible for 70% of flights.
Many of those take additional flights to 'maintain their privileged traveller status,' according to the Times.
The report, Behaviour Change, Public Engagement and Net Zero, also calls for cutting prices on rail services to reduce demand for cars and aircraft, and re-opening disused rail lines.
Your Comments
Paul, it's a fair point, but population growth is not just due to people in the developing world having more children - it's also to do with reductions in child mortality and people living longer thanks to better health care, vaccinations, sanitation etc. Also the link between population growth and emissions is not clear cut - countries with lower birth rates tend to be more developed, and therefore consume more and produce more emissions. Emissions produced by the USA (population 327m, low birth rate) in 2017 were nearly four times those produced by the entire continent of Africa (population 1.2bn, high birth rate). The truth is that there is no single silver bullet to tackle climate change, we need to do lots of things all at the same time, as quickly as possible, and that includes the travel industry. We can ignore the science or try and shift the blame, but ultimately if the industry doesn't change of its own volition, it will eventually be compelled to change by legislation.
By Tom O'Hara, Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Are poms seriously so stupid that some actually believe in man made climate change? If so cars & using electricity dhould be banned
By Michael Anderson, Tuesday, October 15, 2019
According to the Center for Climate Change aircraft produce just 2% of emmisions so as I read it stopping all aircraft will have little effect. As harsh as it reads reduction in the worlds population is the only real way to reduce that the effect on climate change. I am not advocating war or extemination but sensible family birth management. If every family had two children and no more over time the population would fall and this would deal with the climate change problem. Each time I read a suggestion to do something else I realise that the elephant in the room is being ignored.
By Paul Johnston, Monday, October 14, 2019
Surely if the UK Government attempted to ban frequent flyer mileage schemes in the UK firstly it would have to cover many other industries such as hotels, car rental, supermarkets and anything that encourage a carbon footprint which is plainly ridiculous. Secondly, this would be anti-competitive for UK operators as other airlines operating from other countries would have the added incentive of a loyalty scheme making our own carriers less competitive.
By Paul Rose, Monday, October 14, 2019