| Low-cost airline companies have been | | | | realms of possibility, with the airline |
| incredibly successful over the past few | | | | industry pointing out that planes now are 70% |
| years, but their success relies on being able | | | | more fuel efficient than they were in the |
| to offer a large number of flights, which | | | | 60's. Planes can also be built bigger, with |
| unfortunately for the environment equates to | | | | Airbus stating that their new A380 planes |
| larger quantities of CO2 emissions | | | | burns 13% less fuel than a 747. |
| contributing to climate change. While the | | | | |
| general public enjoy the convenience of cheap | | | | Despite the facts and figures being thrown |
| air travel the backlash against the companies | | | | back and forth between the aviation industry |
| providing the services has been fierce, even | | | | and the government, environmentalists argue |
| prompting Environmental minister Ian Pearson | | | | that no matter what solutions are thought up, |
| to brand several low cost airlines "not just | | | | nothing will diminish the public's desire to |
| the unacceptable face of capitalism... (but) | | | | fly. Some have commented that the only way to |
| the irresponsible face of capitalism." | | | | solve the problem is to simply make the cost |
| | | | of flying more expensive, with the Aviation |
| In the face of such criticism low-cost | | | | Environment Federation suggesting that every |
| airlines have been quick to point out that | | | | passenger pays an extra £34 per 700 miles |
| long-haul flight companies and other | | | | they fly. The aviation industry was quick to |
| transport pollutants such as cars are a far | | | | rebuke this idea, stating that it would be |
| bigger threat to the environment than their | | | | detrimental to the British economy, revealing |
| flights. The fact remains however, that while | | | | that air travel contributes around |
| one 800 mile journey from Stansted to Rome in | | | | £14billion to the country every year. |
| a Boeing 737 produces 27 tonnes of CO2, | | | | |
| governmental authorities on climate change | | | | So what does the future hold for air travel |
| have estimated that the aviation industry | | | | companies and the customers that use them? |
| contributes just 3% to total worldwide | | | | Early indications certainly suggest that the |
| emissions, compared to the 25% pumped out by | | | | cost of flying will rise while flights in |
| power stations. | | | | Europe will come under the jurisdiction of |
| | | | the Emissions Trading Scheme by 2011, with |
| Many have predicted that aviation emissions | | | | airlines being issued with pollution permits. |
| will soon rise to 15%, due to aviation being | | | | Fines will be charged to airlines exceeding |
| one of the few sources of greenhouse gases | | | | their emission limit while green airlines |
| that are growing, with the government | | | | that lower their carbon emissions will be |
| predicting that air travel will triple during | | | | able to sell back their permits. |
| the next thirty years. In light of these | | | | |
| predictions, a target to make planes 50% more | | | | The pressure is now on airlines to come up |
| fuel efficient by 2020 is in place. Scoffed | | | | with new technology to make air travel more |
| at by some, this target isn't out of the | | | | environmentally sound in the future. |