p10-11 news Dec11 9/12/09 20:34 Page 10
news aviation analysis
ttglive.com
Two reports on the future of air travel were released this week. Q&A.
Chris Gray looks at their findings, and the industry’s response
What you need to know:
‘Cut emissions,
Climate Change Committee
report on aviation
What was the committee asked to do?
Find scope for reducing emissions from aviation
to ensure that in 2050 they did not rise above the
not passengers’
government’s target of being no higher than the
level in 2005.
How did it do it?
It estimated the growth in demand for flying
and emissions if there were no restrictions on
AIRLINES claim that encouraging investment in It was also wrong to state that biofuels demand or airport expansion. It then looked at
cleaner aircraft would do more to limit aviation’s would account for no more than 10% of global the potential for reducing emissions through
environmental impact than the Committee on aviation fuel by 2050, he said. Progress could higher prices, expanding high speed rail,
Climate Change’s proposal to restrict demand. be speeded up by giving manufacturers improving fuel efficiency, using biofuels and
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and easy- emissions targets for new aircraft. reducing business travel by videoconference.
Jet joined forces to attack the approach of “The focus should not be on limiting
the committee, which one called “Luddite”. the number of passengers. The way to What did it find?
Virgin Atlantic chief executive incentivise this industry is to give ■ With no restrictions, it predicted that UK
Steve Ridgway said the commit- them challenging targets for demand for air travel would grow from
tee’s report was wrong to emissions,” he said. 230 million passengers a year to 695 million, or
assume the industry could Walsh was backed by 200%, between 2005 and 2050.
not act quickly to easyJet chief executive ■ Introducing a carbon trading scheme that
make technological Andy Harrison, would steadily increase till 2050 the “carbon
improvements. He who called for a price” airlines paid on emissions, and limiting
said there was a ban on old aircraft airport expansion to Edinburgh, Heathrow and
“huge will” to reduce emissions and not to in the same way that CFCs were banned. Stansted, would reduce demand growth to 115%.
stop people flying. “The key to sustainable aviation is ■ Increasing use of rail travel for domestic and
“I do not agree with that Luddite technology not taxation, and the short-haul journeys could reduce demand by
approach of people not being able way to make sure it happens is by another 8% by 2050.
to fly,” he said. setting minimum standards for ■ Demand for business travel could be reduced
British Airways chief executive aircraft emissions,” he said. by 30% through videoconferencing.
Willie Walsh claimed the committee That would ensure that airlines
had been unfair in assuming the used the most modern aircraft and What did it conclude?
industry would improve fuel efficiency aircraft manufacturers brought The highest increase in demand that could be
by only 0.8% a year. He said 1.5% forward the next generation of allowed if the government is to meet the 2050
was more likely. aircraft faster, Harrison added. target is likely to be 60%. It could be higher if
technological progress and use of biofuels is
faster than expected, but the committee thinks
HEATHROW DEBATE.
that unlikely. The government will need to intro-
‘Give regionals international flights’
duce a carbon tax on top of the “carbon price”,
limit airport expansion and prevent airport slots
being used even where
BIRMINGHAM airport boss Paul Kehoe condemned not be good for the rest of the country, he said. there was spare capacity.
the aviation industry’s focus on Heathrow, “Heathrow sucks up traffic and you have to
saying anyone who opposed its expansion was support it or you are made to look like a climate Do the airlines agree?
treated in the same way as a “climate change change denier,” he said. No. British Airways and
denier” would be outside of the industry. “If China builds 94 airports it does not mean Virgin Atlantic believe
Kehoe clashed with BA’s Willie Walsh and they will all want to connect through Heathrow. the committee has un-
Virgin’s Steve Ridgway over the importance of “The world is moving eastwards and if that derestimated the rate of
Heathrow expansion. He said regional Britain means connecting through Dubai or Abu Dhabi change on fuel efficiency
could be served equally well by airlines such as then so be it, because there are millions of and biofuels. They also
Emirates or Continental bypassing Heathrow. people who want to visit this country that way.” think it is fundamentally
The Climate Change Committee’s recommen- More international services at regional wrong to seek to limit
dations would lead to Heathrow accounting for airports would encourage foreign businesses to consumer demand rather
one-third of the UK’s air travel, which could locate outside south-east England, he added. than emissions.
10 11.12.2009
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