‘Flight shame’? Europeans have never flown as frequently

(EurActiv, 7 Feb 2020) Many people claim they are flying less to protect the environment but the figures say otherwise. The aviation industry is doing better than ever and its emissions have more than doubled since 1990. EURACTIV Germany reports.

“Flight shame” is a growing phenomenon. Last year, many young people followed Greta Thunberg’s example, saying they wanted to do away with the aeroplane.

But the figures say otherwise: humanity has never flown as much. According to Eurostat’s latest data, more than 63 million people in the EU took a plane in 2018, an increase of 6% on the previous year, and a 43% jump compared to 2010. And almost half of these connections (46%) were intra-EU flights.

The growth is clearly noticeable at European airports, which have reported new passenger records almost every year.

In 2018, Europe’s busiest airport, London Heathrow, welcomed 80 million people. And the airport in Frankfurt, which has since become Europe’s main hub for cargo flights, announced shortly before New Year’s Eve that it had broken the 70 million passenger milestone, for which it happily awarded a €1,000 voucher to a family when they checked in.

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EurActiv, 7 Feb 2020: ‘Flight shame’? Europeans have never flown as frequently

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