We need a combination of stick and carrot to keep us weaned off flying:
The sticks:
Substantially increase the tax on all flights (commercial, freight and private) coming into or going out of the UK;
Compulsory health warning on all advertising and online booking platforms for commercial flights. Keep it simple eg “Flying contributes substantially to global warming” then ramp up the message over time
The carrots:
use 75% of the revenue raised from the flight tax to invest in sustainable public transport eg cycle lanes, subsidies to buses, coaches, trains; and providing funds for airlines who have contributed to the tax raised, to research and develop less polluting forms of flight.
£100 grant payment to anyone over 18 who can prove that they have not flown in any calendar year. Applicants for the grant would self certify online with a declaration, and provide their NI and where available their passport numbers. This incentive will generally favour the less well off. A virtue bonus. For companies, compare their 2019 level of air travel as a percentage of profit with the same ratio in 2022 (assuming normal life has resumed by then). Self declaration via tax return. Where there is a reduction there will be a cash payment back to the company which must be used by the Company for the benefit of all employees, ideally linked to a green initiative.
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