Tory Minister: 'It's not flying that's the problem, it's emissions'

11 October 2021, 21:26

Aviation Minister: We have to work towards 'guilt-free flying'

By Seán Hickey

The minister for Aviation and Maritime thinks banning long-haul flights will halt innovation to make air travel more sustainable.

In a conversation on climate change, Iain Dale took a call from a Cross Question listener who wondered whether the UK should ban flights longer than three hours to fight climate breakdown.

"If that happened obviously all domestic flights would be banned but flights to a lot of European capitals would be banned too." Iain observed, as he put the question to Aviation and Maritime Minister Robert Courts.

"What we have to work towards is guilt-free flying so you're able to fly and remember at all times that it's not flying that's the problem, it's emissions that are the problem." The Tory MP began.

He went on to state that "there's a lot of work being done on short-haul already" and mentioned some of the innovation in relation to aeroplane technology.

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"Hydrogen electric in particular is something that's very very promising" Mr Courts said, arguing that "if you cut out those shorter flights, you'll cut out that technology."

Referring back to the listener's question, he insisted that it is not necessary to ban long-haul flights "because that technology is coming through at pace."