Ban air miles and stop frequent flyers to combat climate change, report urges

(The Independent, 14 Oct 2019) Travellers should be hit by ‘escalating air miles levy’ to put them off flying too much.

Air miles should be banned because they encourage excessive flying, according to a report commissioned by the government’s climate change advisers.

Frequent flyers should be hit by an “escalating air miles levy” to put them off flying too much, rather than encouraged by reward schemes, the report says.

The suggestions are aimed at the 15 per cent of the UK population estimated to be responsible for 70 per cent of flights, many of whom take additional flights to “maintain their privileged traveller status”.

The report by Imperial College London, commissioned by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), also suggests flights should advertise their emissions in a simple way easily understood by customers.

The report, Behaviour Change, Public Engagement and Net Zero, was authored by Dr Richard Carmichael.

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The Independent, 14 Oct 2019: Ban air miles and stop frequent flyers to combat climate change, report urges