Air travel has increased in an 'unsustainable manner'

Date: 15/7/2010

Air travel has risen unsustainably because of budget flights, one expert has suggested.

Spokeswoman for the Association of Independent Tour Operators Sue Ockwell indicated rock-bottom prices are unhelpfully persuading individuals to fly.

"An awful [lot] of it has been on the back of £1 tickets and ridiculous things like that, which aren't sustainable," she added.

However, Ms Ockwell said it does seem more individuals are realising flying regularly is not an environmentally-friendly mode of transport.

She also explained that over the past year there has been more talk that going away for two weeks is better than going for two days, as it spreads an individual's carbon footprint slightly more.

The specialist's comments follow the release of a report by the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE), which argued in favour of more government regulation and minimum pricing to help lessen the environmental impact of the aviation industry.

ICE is calling for the effects of carbon dioxide from air transport and airport infrastructure - including water vapour, contrails and noise pollution - to be stringently regulated.

Posted by Nick Anderson