Climate Change's Effect on Airlinen Operations - Will This Cruel Aviation

[Sprucegoose]

As reported by the BBC, The Dutch government will legislate to reduce flights from Schipol Airport by 60,000 per annum to 440,000, citing climate action and noise pollution.

Regardless of the outcome of the reported commercial legal challenge by the affected airlines, does this move to constitute a growing existential threat to the Aviation business, and is this the start of concerted global action?

Does the Dutch government want us to cycle to our holidays and business meetings?

Airlines sue Dutch government over flight cuts

The government cited noise pollution and climate concerns in its decision to restrict flights.

www.bbc.com

 

[Scr77]

Why not just mandate that 60,000 flights pa need to be carbon offset?

IIRC, there was a European country that was banning short flights arguing that they could be undertaken by train etc.

 

[RooFlyer]

IIRC, there was a European country that was banning short flights arguing that they could be undertaken by train etc.

France.

The Dutch are also are subject to a very good train service. Other places, not so much.

 

[Sprucegoose]

The Dutch are also are subject to a very good train service. Other places, not so much.

That may be so, but does that justify legislating a cap on air travel as opposed to individuals choosing one form of transport over another?

 

[RooFlyer]

That may be so, but does that justify legislating a cap on air travel as opposed to individuals choosing one form of transport over another?

I don't think so, but 'saving the planet' does seem to give legislators a higher moral authority.

 

[drron]

Yes over there in Europe Climate change is really heating up. especially next door in Germany.

 

[dajop]

Don’t worry there are wealthy people flying around the world in their private jets to advocate for exactly this sort of approach and legislation.

 

[Forg]

Don’t worry there are wealthy people flying around the world in their private jets to advocate for exactly this sort of approach and legislation.

While the hypocrisy rankles, the reality is that a teeny tiny jet has far less impact than a hundred 400-pax jets.

And to answer the original question; the pretty large impact that flying currently has was always going to mean limitations or the addition of extra costs on flying. The joke purchasing of carbon credits that’s available now makes zero difference as that’s all a scam, I’m quite surprised this stuff hasn’t started happening yet … COVID probably delayed it.

 

[RooFlyer]

While the hypocrisy rankles, the reality is that a teeny tiny jet has far less impact than a hundred 400-pax jets.

Per person?

 

[Steady]

Per person?

I suspect Greta would prefer a private jet (for the environment- of course)

 

[jboy90]

Just remember the Dutch have a strong reason to advocate this given so much of their country is below sea level. That's why you'll see them as heavy climate change advocates!

 

[Forg]

Per person?

Likely not, but it’s the same deal as anything which is bad for anything … vintage cars driving around has pretty close to zero effect because there are so few of them, for example, but if everyone drove a vintage car they’d have a hefty impact.

 

[Scarlett]

The Dutch Govt appeared to have missed a trick here. Why legislate a cap, or a reduction, which can then be contested in court as a restriction on trade, rather than just whacking on a large tax designed to have the same effect? By that, I mean one targeted to achieve the same end by making some flights simply uneconomical (not a blunt tax like UK APD).

I’m sure they have the data to do this: if you applied a small environmental fee to the first couple of city pair flights by a company each day and then increased it significantly for additional flights you’d probably achieve the same end result of less overall flights. But importantly you’d still have services to a wide range of destinations and you wouldn’t cripple LCCs servicing thin routes. What would be hit would be larger carriers with hourly services such as AMS-LHR; AMS-Paris; AMS-BER. You could even design it to particularly target those city pairs with existing regular alternatives such as train connections.

Finally, I disagree with the notion posited in the title of the thread. I think this sort of thing will not cruel aviation as it will not be commonplace. Instead I rather believe that the price of fuel will eventually make it non-viable for mass RPT as we currently know it.