Flying is the fastest growing source of transport-related greenhouse gas
emissions in the EU. In the face of a looming climate emergency, action
should be taken to curb this boom that is putting our future at risk. Yet, far
from taking a responsible approach, EU institutions and national
governments continue to subsidise climate change through giveaways to
airlines and airports, while closing down railway stations and lines. As a
result, air traffic in Europe is now returning to pre-pandemic levels. Ryanair
was again Europe's most polluting airline in 2022, and emissions from
Ryanair and Wizz Air last year exceeded those of 2019, making 2022 the year
of their peak emissions.
One of the reasons people choose to fly rather than travel by train is price:
why would anyone take the train from London to Barcelona and pay up to
€384 when air tickets are available for the low price of €12.99? By analysing 112 European routes and comparing air and rail fares on
9 different days for each route, this report shows the extent to which
European citizens are being encouraged to fly. It also identifies the reasons
for these price differences and proposes solutions to make rail
competitive on all routes.
Authors
- Published in
- Austria
