Airline industy in Britain and Canada present similar patterns and problems
George Monbiot, a writer for the leading British newspaper, The Guardian, has just published a critical essay on the British airline industry. You can find it at this address.
http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2009/07/06/subsidising-the-climate-crash/
Monbiot's article only deals with Britain but there are remarkable similarities between the airline industry in that country and Canada.
First he provides information that airline travel fell 13% in Britain in the first quarter of 2009 compared with the first quarter in 2008. Leaders of the airline industry are saying that this is a permanent drop. The head of Easyjet, a leading discount airline, is quoted as saying: “Business habits are changing and corporate travel budgets have been slashed. Video conferencing is now a stronger competitor.” Monbiot continues, "Companies have finally twigged that hoisting 80kg of human 10,000 metres into the air whenever you want to have a conversation is a waste of time and money. "
There have not been similar claims in Canada, and accurate airline statistics on passenger levels in this country are hard to find, but we know that Air Canada is close to bankruptcy protection and West Jet is hurting. Porter's numbers are a total mystery because the company is private and is not required to publish accurate audited statements of any kind.
The main point that Monbiot makes in his article is that government policy in the U.K. still has not changed to reflect this drop in airline traffic. The government continues to plan massive expansions of airports and airline authorities pour money into market studies of how they can increase their traffic.
Monbiot reminds us that airline traffic means more pollution. "More flights means more misery for the people living underneath. It also means more global warming. In 2007, before the airline crisis began, air transport turnover (including freight) in the UK was £20bn. Aviation accounted for 0.78% of total business turnover, a smaller proportion than the machinery rental sector. Yet it produced 13% of the United Kingdom’s greenhouse gas emissions."
It all sounds depressingly familiar. The Canadian government continues to promote airline expansion and the Toronto Port Authority continues to sing the praises of Porter.
Bill Freeman
http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2009/07/06/subsidising-the-climate-crash/
Monbiot's article only deals with Britain but there are remarkable similarities between the airline industry in that country and Canada.
First he provides information that airline travel fell 13% in Britain in the first quarter of 2009 compared with the first quarter in 2008. Leaders of the airline industry are saying that this is a permanent drop. The head of Easyjet, a leading discount airline, is quoted as saying: “Business habits are changing and corporate travel budgets have been slashed. Video conferencing is now a stronger competitor.” Monbiot continues, "Companies have finally twigged that hoisting 80kg of human 10,000 metres into the air whenever you want to have a conversation is a waste of time and money. "
There have not been similar claims in Canada, and accurate airline statistics on passenger levels in this country are hard to find, but we know that Air Canada is close to bankruptcy protection and West Jet is hurting. Porter's numbers are a total mystery because the company is private and is not required to publish accurate audited statements of any kind.
The main point that Monbiot makes in his article is that government policy in the U.K. still has not changed to reflect this drop in airline traffic. The government continues to plan massive expansions of airports and airline authorities pour money into market studies of how they can increase their traffic.
Monbiot reminds us that airline traffic means more pollution. "More flights means more misery for the people living underneath. It also means more global warming. In 2007, before the airline crisis began, air transport turnover (including freight) in the UK was £20bn. Aviation accounted for 0.78% of total business turnover, a smaller proportion than the machinery rental sector. Yet it produced 13% of the United Kingdom’s greenhouse gas emissions."
It all sounds depressingly familiar. The Canadian government continues to promote airline expansion and the Toronto Port Authority continues to sing the praises of Porter.
Bill Freeman
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