Are Short Haul Flights Becoming Socially Unacceptable?

With growing environmental concern and our ever expanding awareness of the effects our decision and thus our travel make on the world, is it becoming socially unacceptable to choose short haul flights over the train or car? A number of surveys from organisations such as YouGov and Eurostar, would seem to suggest that it is.

A YouGov survey of over 2,000 people revealed that 37% “agree or strongly agree” that, with the current and future environmental concerns, people will take the train instead of a plane, for internal and European destinations, where possible.

It would appear that the short haul flight is becoming socially unacceptable which is supported by both the YouGov survey and a recent enquiry conducted by Eurostar. Virgin trains have already reported that holiday makers are using trains to get to their destinations instead of flying. Philippa Richardson, communications manager for Virgin Trains commented that: “More and more people are choosing it as a means to get to destinations they might have previously gone to by car or plane.”

This view is only strengthened by recent news that the London Assembly passed a motion this March, which banned its members from travelling by air to any destination in the UK, or Paris and Brussels, on assembly business.