Air travel not a major polluter, say UK pilots association

22 June, 2007:

The British Airline Pilots Association has rejected the notion that air travel is a major cause of growing emission of carbon dioxide.

A report released by the British Airline Pilots Association says that air travel is being used as a scapegoat for global warming and that “half truths and untruths” have made passengers feel guilty about taking a flight.

According to the association, air travel accounts for only 2-3% of global carbon dioxide emissions.

But some environmentalists are of the view that the share of carbon dioxide emissions will increase significantly because of a greater number of flights. However, the British Airline Pilots Association disagrees with this notion, saying that the contribution of air travel to global carbon dioxide emissions will only rise to 6% by 2050.

According to Mervyn Granshaw, chairman of the British Airline Pilots Association, the latest jets are more carbon-efficient than the latest, high-speed trains on longer journeys.

The report says that, while it is true that aircraft generate more carbon per kilometre per passenger compared to trains in general, this is not the case in all circumstances. The high-speed trains used in mainline Europe – and which are set to come to Britain soon – can be highly polluting, as can trains which carry out journeys over 800 kilometres.

The association’s report, adds Mervyn Granshaw, clearly shows that technological advances and new researches will cut aircraft emissions still further and promises that the airline industry would play its part in addressing carbon dioxide emissions.

The British Airline Pilots Association has presented its report to the government of the United Kingdom.