Some climate activists in the UK are calling for an end to short-haul domestic air trips that could be made by train, or at least not tilting a tax reform for short-haul and against longer flights.
The climate group Possible has taken the Glasgow climate summit COP26 as a time to get some attention for its figures, which suggest that a majority of UK residents share their views. A poll of 2,000 people taken for the group showed 54% favoring a ban on short domestic flights, and 58% in favor of taxing such flights to fund green transport alternatives.
The group also analyzed Department for Transport figures, and report that about 90% of the domestic flights in the UK were taken by just 2% of the population and that nine in ten people never take domestic flights.
The government has announced a plan to cut the Air Passenger Duty, a tax on flights, for domestic flights, while keeping or increasing the tax for international flights. Possible criticized the plan as encouraging more domestic flying while still making it difficult for people to take vacations elsewhere. Because the figures show that domestic fliers average twice the national household income, the group says the tax cut will disproportionately benefit the rich.
Several European countries have taken steps to end short-haul flights; France has a ban, Germany and Spain are considering proposals, and Greenpeace earlier this month called on the EU to institute a ban across the continent.
