Many of our most well-loved airlines are launching their 2025 sales, offering exceedingly low prices and promising a quick get-away to those of us who are feeling the university stress, or the Edinburgh cold. The persistence of these airlines to get us off the ground, is everywhere – with Easyjet’s “Big Orange Sale” or Ryanair’s “Kickstart Summer ‘25” slogan – it seems like everyone is going on holiday. But what is the consequence of these cheap escapes…surely there’s nothing wrong with hopping on a budget flight to Malaga? In fact, these short haul flights are emitting mass carbon dioxide (CO2), a key greenhouse gas contributing to global warming.
The International Energy Agency states that in 2023, 2.5% of CO2 emissions were from the aviation industry. To put this into perspective, the German nonprofit Atmosfair describes a short-haul flight from London to Rome as producing a carbon footprint larger than a person would leave annually. These figures highlight the great negative impact the aviation industry is having on climate change.
This is only getting worse, with the increasing demand for flights abroad meaning the industry can’t keep up. The non-profit Transport & Environment tells us that airlines such as Wizz Air’s low-cost business model drives “unsustainable growth,” with clean technologies and sustainable fuels unable to popularise at the same speed – leading to rapid unclean fuel emissions.
But all is not lost! There are ways to reduce your environmental impact whilst still escaping the bagpipes and slow walkers of Nicholson Street. Trains are the tried and trusted option. This mode of transport reduces your carbon footprint, producing 96.5% fewer CO2 emissions than its comparable flight, according to Greenpeace UK. However, trains are usually a more expensive option to flying – so to try and balance your budget, plan your trips in advance and buy that ticket when Trainline is feeling a little less greedy. But if you feel like trains are still on the pricey side, what about coaches? The green Flixbus machines can take you internationally and for a fraction of the price. Despite these journeys taking longer, they significantly reduce carbon emissions and by boycotting those budget airlines, they might be influenced to become more eco-friendly.
But hey I get it, sometimes that last-minute moment in the sun is just calling; so here’s what you can do if you are flying. Try flying direct, as this cuts the fuel and the distance of travel by up to a quarter in some cases, therefore reducing your footprint. Another idea is to pack light, as the less weight on the aircraft, the less fuel it consumes, emitting less CO2.
Although fully sustainable air travel is not yet possible, these tips and tricks can help reduce your carbon footprint, whilst still having a good time. Plus, you can be safe in the knowledge you did your bit so the polar bears keep their homes on the ice.
Photo by Reet Talreja on Unsplash