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Part of the solution for over-tourism

Posted by (Almost Heaven) on

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-04-17/no-more-cheap-flights-is-the-new-reality-for-air-travel

Meeting carbon emissions goals could also provide the added benefit of reducing tourism numbers.

No More Cheap Flights Is the New Reality for Air Travel
Airlines face an expensive and challenging few decades ahead as climate compliance laws get stricter.

The first headwind stems from two big changes in the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). Airlines must have enough emissions allowances to cover every metric ton of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere on flights starting and ending in the European Economic Area, the UK and Switzerland. Right now, they get about half of those allowances for free. But that deal comes to an end in 2026, as the share of allowances they have to pay for starts to rise from 2024. That is effectively going to double their carbon costs over just three years.

Posted by
3831 posts

We can see it now. Last year we got a r/t flight to Paris/London for just over $1000. We are looking for flights to Croatia in September and we are getting quotes for over $2,000. And that is on the low side. From BA. After the 18th they go down $300. Still high. For clarification that is premium economy. It’s still higher than previous years though.
To paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld, I can’t go back.

Posted by
1769 posts

Perhaps an innovative budget airline could parachute passengers into the ocean just outside of national waters, and passengers could swim that final little leg :)

Probably would do wonders for jet lag, the exercise and such ...

Posted by
4086 posts

There's a couple of sentences in the article that mention biofuel as part of the solution, but it also says biofuel take away land from much-needed food agriculture, so that creates a potentially new problem.

My airline of choice-WestJet has been experimenting with biofuels on some flights recently but the article I was reading says that biofuels currently cost up to 6x more than regular jet fuel and a solution for there to be enough production of it to drop the costs is many years away. WestJet says it's eating the costs right now, but that's not sustainable if it commits to the biofuel solution. Currently WestJet is buying its biofuel from a company in Finland, and guess how it gets transported to Canada?, carbon based shipping.

Posted by
2945 posts

joe, that's easy: Backpack only, which will also serve as a flotation device.

I understand that once you've been in premium economy or better, it's hard to go back to the squished sandwich seats that you are not supposed to lean back. If the market prices people out of premium economy, then so be it. I guess I'll take road trips, Route 66 style.

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