Plane vs train: give travellers the full picture
Airlines should be required to tell travellers about the true environmental cost of flying, and also tell us if greener options are available.
This consultation has now closed.
The Civil Aviation Authority plays a vital role, regulating the UK’s aviation industry. Right now, it’s running a consultation on what environmental information should be provided to people when they book flights.
This is a chance for travellers to see the truth about the impact of aviation on the environment and make better informed travel choices.
Here at Campaign for Better Transport, we think travellers should be given clear information about:
- The climate impact of flying
- Whether they could make their journey by train instead – and what the comparative emissions would be
- How long their journey will REALLY take, including check-in and boarding, so they can make a fair comparison.
If you think this is important, please respond to the consultation by 7 April. We’ve provided some tips below.
Sorry, this consultation has now closed.
Tips for responding to the consultation
There are 31 questions. You don’t need to answer all of them. Prioritise the section called ‘Presentation of information to consumers’, i.e. questions 10-19.
Guidance for questions 10-19
These are suggested responses. You may copy and paste these, but we encourage you to use these as a guide for your own responses. Our supporters share a wealth of expertise, so this is a great opportunity for that to be shared with the Civil Aviation Authority.
- What are the key requirements for the presentation of accurate consumer environmental information?
It is key that full CO2 and non-CO2 emissions are presented at the point of purchase. Particularly on domestic flights where the journey could be made by rail or more sustainable modes of transport, the equivalent for other modes, particularly rail, should be clearly printed, so that travellers can make fully informed choices.
- What are the key requirements for the presentation of understandable consumer environmental information?
The information should be presented as simply as possible, such as with a metric which amalgamates CO2 and non-CO2 emissions. This could follow a model such as the letter-based energy rating used for domestic appliances.
- What are the key requirements for the presentation of standardised consumer environmental information?
Environmental information should be standardised across all carriers.
- What are the key requirements for the presentation of comparable consumer environmental information?
Information should display comparable emissions from rail, where a rail route exists (i.e. at least on all domestic non-lifeline flights) – and to Eurostar destinations. It is vital a rail comparison is given as a CO2 figure for flights alone is much less useful.
- What are the key requirements for the presentation of accessible consumer environmental information?
That information be presented in such a way that no prospective passenger should be excluded from access to the relevant information and that, via accessible technology such as audio links, this should be guaranteed to be provided before purchase.
- What are the key requirements for the presentation of useful consumer environmental information?
Useful consumer information should include the true journey time (rather than just departure and landing schedule), and taking account of recommended check-in time.
This will enable travellers to have a fairer comparison of the real comparable travel time between modes.
- What consumer environmental information should be presented to consumers?
A simple summary of the combined emissions, as a carbon footprint.
- When should consumer environmental information be presented to consumers? (For example on the results page when searching for a flight, on a boarding pass or after a flight)
Information should be presented to consumers at the point of sale, to inform travel choices, as well as on tickets. It could also be included on boarding passes, but this need not be obligatory.
- How should consumer environmental information be presented? For example is kg/CO2 per journey appropriate and / or should consumer environmental information be presented as a comparison with other transport modes or other equivalent activities?
It should be presented as simply as possible, in order for a clear comparison with other modes to be made as easily as possible. This could be a standard carbon footprint such as kg/CO2 per passenger per journey. Simplicity is key, to enable the clear comparison with rail.
- Please list/identify examples of consumer environmental information in other sectors which enable complex information to be provided in an accurate, understandable, standardised, comparable, accessible and useful way.
Domestic appliances present energy ratings on a clear, graded letter-based scale with a simple colour scheme. This is a good model.
Thank you for your interest in this consultation. Here at Campaign for Better Transport we would love to know if you’ve responded to the consultation. Please send an email to communications@bettertransport.org.uk simply letting us know that you’ve responded to the Civil Aviation Authority’s consultation on Consumer Environmental Information.
Thank you.
