Fired by the election campaign in Germany, the debate about short-haul flights originally initiated by Greta Thunberg has picked up momentum again. EU Commissioner Timmermans now demanded in an interview that citizens should only be allowed to fly by plane once a year.
Vienna's airport director Günther Ofner cannot gain anything from this demand and points out that the implementation of the proposal would result in “a massive restriction of personal freedom” and the “destruction of tourism development”.
“Austria generates 60 percent of its added value in exports, the devastating consequences it has for the economy and the labor market if employees cannot travel, as the pandemic impressively demonstrated. If Timmermans is serious about his demand, then the EU commissioners and MEPs should set an example and only fly once a year. A prerequisite for a reduction in short-haul flights would be a functioning rail service, Europe is miles away from that, and most passengers are transfer passengers who travel to the airport hubs in order to fly on from there. The punishment of air traffic through higher taxes would also exclude young people, students, retirees and families from flying. Instead of dirigism, the EU Commission should promote the development and use of CO2-free synthetic fuels, which would help the whole world to protect the climate. Aviation currently only contributes 2,5 percent to CO2 pollution, in Europe only 0,87 percent. With CO2-free synthetic fuels this can be reduced to zero by 2050, something that the industry has also committed to, "says Ofner .
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