Flights...carbon offsetting.

On the news today.

Carbon offsetting... where air passengers are given the choice of paying a bit extra, to pay for carbon offsetting due to the environmental impact of the flight they are on, is apparently hardly ever offered by a lot of airlines.


I was a bit surprised, as my main air holiday provider has been offering this for ages.

It makes sense for such a charge, which can vary from £5 for short haul to £25 for long haul, should be mandatory, IMO.
If not more!

Re: Flights...carbon offsetting.

Hi Pyxell.

How does paying extra help? I don't understand.

Re: Flights...carbon offsetting.

We've just done two long haul flights...extra was never mentioned.
Where would the extra money have gone?

Re: Flights...carbon offsetting.

I don't think it will make any difference.
Those who can afford it will pay and not reduce their flights, those who can't just won't pay.

Re: Flights...carbon offsetting.

It goes towards carbon-offsetting projects like planting trees, and installing solar panels - which reduce the carbon dioxide in the air by the same amount.


Apparently, not many airlines offer passengers the option. Disgusting, IMO.

So, now the powers that be might be considering making it mandatory.

Seems a small price to pay, really.

Re: Flights...carbon offsetting.

Thanks for that explanation Pyxell.
We flew with BA, I'd happily have paid the extra if it had been explained like this.

Re: Flights...carbon offsetting.

You're welcome!

Re: Flights...carbon offsetting.

But does it? It's like the millions spent on aid, a great amount of which never goes to the intended recipients.

Re: Flights...carbon offsetting.

Well, apparently it does, but presumably if it were made mandatory there would be more checks to ensure that is so.

I suppose, though, that that is the way forward.. that is, if people want to continue burning fossil fuel, then the costs of doing so have to increase to pay for offsetting the effects of doing so.

A bit like increasing the tax on tobacco products to offset the increased costs to the NHS of treating people with smoking related diseases.
On a much larger scale, of course.

People will still have the choice of behaving in a certain way, but exercising that choice will cost them.
It's fair enough.

Re: Flights...carbon offsetting.

What puzzles me is that everyone is screaming that we must cut on carbon emissions. Every MP is crying out for massive cuts to slow down global warming yet the same government is giving approval for more runways at our major airports. Do they not realise that more runways means more planes, More planes means more emissions. More emissions means quicker global warming.