Flights of Fancy

In 2021, UK airports proved highly problematic for travellers. This was mainly related to a failure of most airports to hire and train sufficient individuals to deal with the increased numbers of passengers. Many scheduled flights were consequently cancelled, often at short notice. Airports blamed the airlines and airlines blamed the airports. In spite of the 'cost of living crisis', the media is now humming with predictions of surges in the numbers of business and holiday flights (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64234234). This is very good news for the profits of airlines and travel firms. Strangely(?), however, these accounts never comment on the impact of increased flight numbers on global 'greenhouse gas' emissions. The very fact that holiday bookings (including airflights) seem likely to return to pre-2019 levels in a 'cost of living crisis', also re-emphasises that this activity reflects relative wealth. Frequent flyers and airlines need to be taxed more vigorously, even if such a move would be unpopular with many of the 'punters'.